Neil O’Donnell

THE Duhallow-Kanturk meeting at Dromahane was the only race meeting to take place in Ireland on Sunday and, on an afternoon that saw snow on the ground, John Barry continued his fine season by partnering two winners.

The Conna native instigated his brace aboard owner/trainer John Nallen’s Minella Indo in the Goffs UK Aintree Sale five-year-old geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the day in eight runners.

Minella Indo (3/1 – 5/4), a half-brother to former northern pointer Benatar that finished a fine third in the Grade 1 JLT Novices’ Chase at last week’s Cheltenham Festival despite failing to settle, arrived with a tall reputation and he was bounced out upsides seasonal debutant Big Debates.

The pair quickened clear from before two out and the winning son of Beat Hollow clearly had the measure of Big Debates, absent since finishing second to smart bumper performer Felix Desjy at this same meeting last year, on the run to the final of the 13 fences. The Nallen inmate however blundered here, but runner-up Big Debates couldn’t capitalise as the triumphant bay scorched clear to score by a widening six lengths. The pair returned 10 lengths clear of the third-placed Salven.

“He’s one that you would be dreaming about and he’s probably as good a horse as we have had,” said Clonmel hotelier Nallen of Minella Indo, just his fifth individual runner of the season and whom he purchased as a foal for €24,000 at the 2013 Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale in Fairyhouse.

DOUBLE

Barry then doubled up aboard the Vincent Halley-trained debutant Blue Morpho in the Cork Racecourse, Mallow six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

The towering Blue Morpho (3/1), representing the handler’s mother Pam, always travelled well and he effortlessly eased closer on the outer from two out to go second behind Tallow runner-up Puthiminyourpocket.

The latter had just been fractionally headed when sustaining a crashing final fence fall as the triumphant bay returned with 10 lengths to spare over another first-timer in Colonel Keating. Halley indicated that Blue Morpho may now be despatched to the racetrack proper for a probable steeplechase campaign.

Liz Lalor, whose mother Anne bred Minella Indo, teamed up with Sam Curling to collect the Singletons SuperValu, Holyhill ladies open with B L Swagger.

Winner of an open at this same venue in November 2015, B L Swagger (4/7) always travelled like a true odds-on shot should and he ranged up between horses to overtake Drawn N Drank after the final fence. The former track winner then swept clear to beat veteran Drawn N Drank by six lengths to record his seventh points success, and his first this season, in the colours of Tessa Foreman from Ballingarry in north Co Tipperary.

FAVOURITISM

The eight bookmakers present one again came out on the wrong side as Harry Kelly’s recent Punchestown maiden winner Oscar Contender justified favouritism in the winners of one.

Oscar Contender (7/4 – 6/4) could be called the most likely winner from five out and he ultimately assumed command with Jamie Codd before the second last. Although blundering at the final fence, he still forged clear on the flat to contain five-year-old Trio For Rio by six lengths.

This was a victory that was however tinged with sadness as the now hunter chase-bound Oscar Contender’s Co Carlow-based owner Mary Walsh’s husband Noel died just four days after the gelding’s victory at Punchestown last month.

Pat Doyle, also on the mark with Axiomatic at Ballynoe the previous afternoon, sent out Appreciate It to collect the Goffs UK Aintree Sale four-year-old maiden in the hands of Derek O’Connor.

Appreciate It (evens), who gave ample indication of ability by finishing third on his debut at Ballinaboola last month, disputed the running with Some Detail until newcomer Catch The Swallows took over two out. Indeed, runner-up Catch The Swallows was still at the head of affairs when erring at the final fence as the winning son of Jeremy then went to the front literally a few strides after and he duly quickened clear to eclipse Gerry Kelleher’s hugely-promising charge by one and a half lengths in the silks of Doyle’s wife Mary.

Appreciate It is a half-brother to Danny Kirwan, whom Doyle saddled to oblige in a Lisronagh maiden last October and he was quickly snapped up a few days afterwards on behalf of Paul Nicholls for whom he has already won a Kempton bumper.

MID-SEASON RETURN

The Louis Archdeacon-trained mare Kitty Russell provided 18-year-old Cal Shine, a sixth year Leaving Certificate student at Colaiste Treasa in Kanturk, with a fourth career success by returning from a mid-season break to land the closing Hickeys Tavern five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden for novice riders.

Kitty Russell (4/1), absent since pulling up at Boulta in December, benefited from frontrunning tactics. She had just been joined by My First Symphony when the favourite fell at the last and the daughter of Beneficial, who represents Archdeacon’s wife Michelle, then returned with one and a half lengths to spare over Linemason.

Spectacular recovery

BARRY O’Neill deserves particular credit for his spectacular recovery to stay aboard newcomer Getadate at the sixth last in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Getadate appeared to sustain interference when Exit Eleven fell at this fence and O’Neill’s right leg came out over the near side of his mount.

With both of O’Neill’s legs on Getadate’s near side, it seemed as if he would be unseated. But, to the reigning champion’s credit, he most meritoriously maintained his balance to stay with his mount who was ultimately pulled up before the last.