SUNDAY’S Dungarvan Farmers meeting can be described as one of firsts all-round and 19-year-old Jerome Power recorded an initial career victory aboard his father Edmund Power’s newcomer Bushypark (100/30) in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden. For good measure, that son of Le Fou was also providing three-horse handler Shane O’Brien from Kereen with a very first winner.
Bushypark took up the running at the fourth of the 14 obstacles and he was closely pressed by favourite One More Life on the run to two-out. The market-leader blundered here and soon came under pressure in second. The eventual winner possessed all the aces in front when erring at the final fence. Although momentarily giving his supporters cause for concern, he stayed on stoutly to win by two-and-a-half lengths. The 26-year-old O’Brien, who acquired the horse as a three-year-old, said: “He’s a horse that handles deep ground and, if not sold, he will go for a winners’ race.”
Jerome Power is presently on the point of joining British trainer Noel Williams.
Dylan Phelan, who rides out with Declan Queally, will also have cause to fondly recall this meeting as the 19-year-old from Dungarvan similarly sampled success for the very first time by guiding recent Ballindenisk runner-up Comeragh Lad (5/4) to victory in the five-year-old and upwards confined hunts maiden for novice riders.
Comeragh Lad always travelled with purpose and he moved through to pick up the running approaching the final fence. Long-time leader Outisaid came back to hold every chance on the inner but fell here and the victorious six-year-old then asserted to dispense with Champions Hill by two-and-a-half lengths. Handler Pat Crowley suggested that Comeragh Lad, representing his near-neighbour Paula Cotter from Bearys Cross, is now likely to be aimed at a winners’ race.
Stunning debut
Kilmore, Co Wexford-based owner/trainer John Byrne celebrated his initial success as the homebred Starvoski (9/2) posted a stunning debut victory in the five-year-old mares’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the day with nine runners.
Starvoski, a half-sister to three track winners, was always positioned at the head of affairs and she was travelling better than closest pursuer Sweet Street from two-out. With the latter then making a mistake at the last, the Tiernan Power-Roche-ridden winner stormed clear on the long run-in to account for Lady Kk by 10 lengths.
Byrne, who disclosed that son, James, plays an integral role in his training operation, revealed that Starvoski is now likely to be sold.
Chapter Two (6/4) has developed into an admirable servant for owner/trainer Tom Shaw and the 10-year-old recorded her fifth points success by coming home as she pleased in the mares’ open, much to the dismay of the 10 bookmakers present. Winner of a three-mile Cork handicap hurdle in May 2018, she had to be rousted along in third spot after three-out by Johnny King as Rosfoyle and Dubai Daisy battled for supremacy up front. However, she readily mastered Rosfoyle approaching the last to score by a widening eight lengths. Shaw indicated that Chapter Two is likely to be kept pointing for the time being.
Chapter Two and Johnny King get the better of Rosfyle much to the bookmakers' dismay \ Healy Racing
COLIN Bowe is experiencing another productive campaign and the reigning champion handler combined with Barry O’Neill to capture the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Erne River (9/4), who was placed on his two autumn starts at Tinahely and Mainstown. The son of Califet made virtually all and crucially, a superb leap three-out saw him emerge with a couple of lengths advantage from this third-last obstacle.
Boulta runner-up Minella Drama closed approaching the second-last, but the winning Milestone Racing Partnership-owned bay was in no mood to be denied and he was always just about containing John Nallen’s charge by one-and-a-half lengths. Salute The King provided ample indication of ability by returning a further eight lengths adrift in third spot. It’s probable that Erne River will be seen in new colours when running again.
Bunclody-based handler Ivan Walker, who won two points with subsequent listed bumper victress Three Swallowsnick during the 2015/16 campaign, struck with Drumderry Ask (4/1) in the six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden. Drumderry Ask, who was placed fourth on two previous occasions, was rallying in second when the leader and eventual runner-up Peggy Gordon got the last all wrong. With Shane Baragry doing well to sit tight aboard Peggy Gordon, Drumderry Ask forged clear in the closing stages for Johnny Hurley to oblige by 20 lengths.
Drumderry Ask, owned by the seven-member Drumderry Racing Syndicate, will now contest a winners’ race.
Horse to Follow
Outisaid (Diarmuid P Ryan): This grey by Carlotamix tried to make all on his third career start in the five-year-old and upwards confined hunts maiden for novice riders. Having been headed two-out, he came back to dispute when falling at the last. Compensation should be attained in a similar type of contest without much difficulty.
Kilossera’s history
KILOSSERA is one of the oldest venues on the calendar as racing commenced here in 1942, and the meeting’s president John Kiely, also one of the meeting’s four landowners, has been involved with the fixture since 1950. Kiely would also have ridden winners at Kilossera back through the years.