SPECTATORS witnessed some potential high-class winners at the East Antrim fixture at Loughanmore last Saturday as both four-year-old maiden winners entered many notebooks.
The first division of the Dennison Commercials sponsored event went to the Warren Ewing-owned and trained newcomer Bold Conduct (5/2-7/2-3/1JF). The son of Stowaway is out of a half-sister to Maljimar and Kymandjen. He towered over his rivals in the parade ring and made a big impression under Richie Deegan, who was securing his first success of the campaign.
A €35,000 graduate of the 2017 edition of the Tattersalls Derby Sale, Bold Conduct travelled smoothly off a strong pace and challenging the Donnchadh Doyle-trained Sidi Ismael at the last, the winner quickened nicely under Deegan to record a two-and-a-half-length success.
Ewing who has produced some decent track performers in the past remarked: “He’s a proper horse and probably as good a horse as I have ever had.
“We were waiting on some better ground and he did it well today. It looked a good race and he will head to the sales now.”
DEBUTANT
Beyond Redemption (2/1 – 4/7 favourite) took the second division of the opening four-year-old maiden for handler Peter Flood and the Pioneer Racing Partnership.
In a slowly run race, three runners exited at the third fence however Jamie Codd avoided the incident on the well-supported favourite.
The Colin McKeever-trained debutant Muckamore emerged as the main danger leaving the back straight as the pair pulled clear of the field however Codd’s mount had another gear on the run in to quicken clear in fine style with four lengths to spare at the post.
Out of a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Mount Benbulben and from the family of In Compliance and One Cool Cookie, the son of Court Cave was purchased for €40,000 at the Goffs Land Rover Sale last year by Chris Donnelly and Aidan O’Ryan.
The winning handler commented: “He has always shown us a lot and we thought he would take a bit of beating today.
“They went slow enough early on which I don’t think suited him but he quickened well even though he looked around coming up the straight. He will improve for that run and should develop into a nice track horse,” said Flood who was recording his fifth winner of the season indicated he will hopefully head to the Cheltenham sales.
Having shown promise when second on each of his three outings last month, Liam Lennon’s Pegase Amour (5/4 – 2/1) gained due reward when taking the concluding Move Right Therapy older maiden.
The Winged Love gelding was easy to back in the market as money came for the Noel Meade-trained Bronco Bill however Jamie Codd’s mount travelled best before the last and recorded a six-length win over the favourite.
Out of dual chase winner Lovely Native and a half-brother to Lennon’s three-time chase winner I’m An Izz Wizz, Pegase Amour is likely to race on the track now if not sold.
FACILE
Hi Murphy (7/4 – 1/1 favourite) supplemented his maiden success at Loughbrickland recently to record a facile two-and-a-half-length success in the Islandbawn winners of two for Sean McParlan. Partnered by Noel McParlan, the son of Gamut travelled nicely before the last and held off the late challenge of School Lane on the run-in.
The winning handler said: “He’s a good horse and I don’t think we have got to the bottom of him yet. He will continue pointing and possibly go for a hunter chase.”
Coastal Tiep (3/1 – 6/4 favourite) made a smooth transition to the open lightweight division as he easily justified strong market support in the Glenpatrick Horseboxes Open.
Joining issue with pace-setter Milan Flyer in the back straight, the former Paul Nicholls-trained gelding travelled best under Ben Crawford and easily obliged by a length and a half at the finish.
“That was a good start as we are still getting to know him,” remarked the winning handler Stuart Crawford.
Purchased by Crawford for £18,000 at the Goffs HIT Sale at Doncaster last May, he added: “He was just ticking over there and we think a lot of him. We will hopefully go down the hunter chase route but he is only a six-year-old so we have plenty of options.”
Angelic Moon (8/1 – 10/1) appeared to relish front running tactics when taking the Jacksons Butcher Shop and Bakery five and six-year-old mares’ maiden.
Partnered by Lar O’Carroll, who enjoyed a double on the day, the daughter of Wolfe Tone was bounced out in front and made every post a winning one.
The winning handler, Sarah Dawson, said: “She’s a very genuine mare who loves her job, is a brilliant jumper and a relentless galloper.
“I’m delighted for Susan as she bred the mare herself and she will run in winners’ company now and possibly go to the track.”
DOUBLE
O’Carroll completed his double in the Stonebridge Premium Feeds five-year-old geldings’ maiden employing similar front-running tactics on the Dermot McLoughlin-trained The Echo Boy (3/1-4/1-7/2JF).
Having shaped promisingly on his first outing for McLoughlin, when second at The Pigeons, Fidelma Toole’s recent acquisition scored in impressive fashion in this competitive 14-runner contest.
The Arcadio gelding had 10 lengths to spare over the Sean McParlan-trained newcomer Royal Drumlee, with a short-head back to Duty Calls in third.
The Echo Boy is a half-brother to Cormac Doyle’s Tallow point-to-point winner Some Operator, who subsequently made £68,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham February Sale.
“I was very impressed with him today, he’s a lovely horse. We wanted to drop him in but that didn’t work so Lar (O’Carroll) made the running on him. I’m not sure what we will do now whether we head for a winner’s race or go to the track,” outlined the successful handler.
900 winners
JAMIE Codd rode his 900th point-to-point winner at Loughanmore on Saturday, reaching the career landmark by securing a double on the day. The Wexford rider scored on the Peter Flood-trained Beyond Redemption before following-up in the concluding maiden for Liam Lennon on Pegase Amour. A popular jockey within the point-to-point circuit, Codd is only the second rider in history to reach the 900-winner mark.
Sponsorship
THE East Antrim Hunt thanked Jane Barton for her generous sponsorship of the best turned out for each race.
The sponsorship was in memory of Jane’s parents, Alan and Eleanor Barton, who were lifelong supporters of the East Antrim Hunt.
Scott’s success
ANGELIC Moon provided owner/breeder Susan Scott with a day to remember at Loughanmore last Saturday.
The daughter of Wolfe Tone is a sister to Alan King’s four-time winner Ned Stark and a half-sister to other winners including Noleens Moon, Torduff King and Barnlands Boy.
Scott’s father Michael trained the winner’s grand-dam African Moon winning 11 times, including the Munster National.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
SIDI ISMAEL (D Doyle): A faller on his debut at Dromahane, the four-year-old pulled a long way clear of the remainder when second to Bold Conduct. He could go one better next time.