Neil O’Donnell
THE Pat Doyle-trained Sydney Paget remains a massive credit to all concerned and the veteran cemented his position as this season’s leading pointer by recording a remarkable eighth consecutive success of the year in the Blarney Castle & Gardens Open at Sunday’s Muskerry Foxhounds meeting at Dromahane.
The concluding leg of a three-timer for Derek O’Connor, Sydney Paget (4/5) tracked the frontrunning Minella For Value in a four-runner race that effectively developed into a match between the pair.
Minella For Value held a six-length advantage by half-way, but the eventual winner closed up from the fifth last of the 14 obstacles and was soon in the frontrunner’s slipstream. There was only going to one outcome once the Roddy O’Byrne-owned 11-year-old eased ahead two out and, whilst Minella For Value rallied somewhat from the last, there was still some two lengths between the pair at the line.
With Doyle absent, O’Connor remarked of the teak-tough Sydney Paget: ‘’He’s a fabulous horse and he gave me a great feel in what rode a real good open. It would be really lovely for him to become champion pointer this season.’’
THREE-TIMER
The Galwegian instigated his three-timer by partnering a rare winner for the absent Denis Murphy aboard Gipsy Lee Rose in the ITBA & Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old mares’ maiden. The grey Gipsy Lee Rose (7/2) brought the best form to the table considering that she finished second to Beyondapproach on her debut at Bellurgan Park last month.
The French-bred got into a lovely rhythm and she tracked the frontrunning Benefficient Queen from half-way.
The Ballyboy Stables inmate readily forged into the lead before two out. She overcame a slight scare at the last and went on to beat promising first-timer Roses Poses by six lengths.
Winning London-based owner Alan Harte indicated that his €45,000 Goffs Land Rover sale acquisition is now likely to be offered at some of the forthcoming sales.
O’Connor then landed the first division of the Killian Lynch Auctioneers five-year-old geldings’ maiden aboard the Robert Tyner-trained debutant Alnadam. The recent Stradbally third Goodthyneaway led until the third last fence where Alnadam (2/1) took the lead. It was all plain sailing thereafter as the victorious French-bred swept clear, showing a fabulous turn of foot in the process, to dismiss one of the paddock-picks Jones Road by eight lengths in the colours of the Three Dudes Syndicate.
SUCCESS
The likelihood is that Alnadam, a €50,000 graduate of the 2016 Derby sale that’s out of a half-sister to Willie Mullins’ smart chaser Polidam, will be seen in new silks when running again. Owner/trainer Kieran Purcell, continued his success from the previous weekend at Lisronagh, when Deise Aba made a winning debut in the second division of this same contest.
Deise Aba (5/1) was always positioned close to the pace as Carrigmoorna Pine set off in front. With the latter being headed two out, the winning son of Mahler stormed to the head of affairs with Declan Queally before the last to eclipse the staying-on Minella United by four lengths. “He’s a lovely horse that was very green in the parade-ring and he should come on a tonne, “commented Purcell of Deise Aba, who traces back to former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Bregawn.
The Robert Harkin & Associates Auctioneers winners of one is a race that will be remembered for quite some time as the diminutive mare Steak And Spuds came from a seemingly impossible position to land the spoils in the hands of talented 5lb claimer David O’Brien from Ballincollig.
Steak And Spuds (6/1) lost in the region of 25 lengths at the start when a horse reared in front of her and her task seemed hopeless until she gradually got closer setting out on the final circuit as The Alchemyst still held sway up front.
Steak And Spuds closed relentlessly from three out and this season’s Ballynoe mares’ maiden winner overtook runner-up The Alchemyst on the approach to the final fence to score by four lengths.
Two-horse handler Tom Keogh from Belgooly indicated that the Tutti Fruitti Syndicate-owned Steak And Spuds may now run at the Tralee fixture in two weeks’ time.
WORTHWHILE
Eoin O’Brien, in action at Loughrea earlier in the afternoon, made a worthwhile dash back to Dromahane to team up with Donie Murphy to collect the closing Grandon Toyota Car Sales six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden aboard Cousin Pascal.
Narrowly touched off in a two and a half mile Wexford maiden hurdle last October, Cousin Pascal (5/2) disputed the running until going for home before three out.
The race was over as a contest thereafter as the French-bred quickened clear before the last to contain Uallrightharry by four lengths. Murphy indicated that his wife Geraldine’s Cousin Pascal, whom he acquired as a two-year-old, may now revert to hurdles.
My First Symphony, partnered by her Doneraile-based handler Paddy Cronin’s nephew William Cronin, won an eventful renewal of the Oriel House Hotel five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
The favourite Osca Loca went to the front before two out and she was still travelling well in pole position when she fell at the last, bringing down Rare Deal and She’s Some Luxury. Luscious Lilly didn’t emerge unscathed as she was badly impeded when left in the lead.
My First Symphony (6/1), an first winner as an owner for the elder Cronin’s son Danny, avoided the melee and the recent Stradbally third edged ahead on the flat to deny newcomer Luscious Lilly by a neck in the closest finish of the afternoon.
Local victory
Paddy Cronin was understandably elated following the success of his charge My First Symphony in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden as the winning bay was providing his son Danny with a first success as an owner/breeder whilst she was partnered by his nephew William Cronin.
Indeed, William also rode his uncle’s other winner this season, Duhallow Paddy at Kildorrery in February.
The elder Cronin also said: ‘’This mare needs a big galloping track such as this, she didn’t really handle the track when finishing third in Stradbally the last day. She was broken by Damian Murphy last year and he did a great job with her.”