LAST Saturday, the Tynan and Armagh point-to-point at Farmacaffley was a day to remember for novice rider Daire McConville who recorded a treble initiated on the Marshall Watson-trained He Knows My Name (1/4 – 2/7 favourite) in the opening Mullan Family sponsored Confined Hunt Winners race.

Watson was taking the ISA McClintock cup for the second time, following Illusion Of Time’s victory three years ago, however this time his mother Claire’s silks were carried to victory in the two-runner match event.

McConville, who rode his first winner at Moira in December on the Kayf Tara mare, made all and returned a comfortable 25-length winner over the Brian Dougan-trained Accordingtojohnny, who pulled up on his debut a week earlier at Punchestown.

“It was disappointing that only two horses went to post but it’s good to win the race again. She is a nice mare and had a good run last time in Killeagh. She could head for a mares’ winners race next,” remarked the winning handler.

SUCCESS

Watson and McConville returned to the winner’s enclosure later in the afternoon following the success of Celtic Thunder (5/1 – 10/1) in the WHR Accountants two winner race.

The odds-on Dermot McLoughlin-trained favourite Thunderosa looked to have the upper hand on the approach to the final obstacle but McConville’s own Celtic Thunder displayed some game qualities on the run in to lead close home winning by a head in the photo finish.

The local handler who trains in Killylea outside Armagh was recording his first double. He commented: “He is a horse with lots of ability but he had his fair share of problems. Daire knows the horse and knew to keep after him the whole way; he gave him a great ride. I’m delighted with that and we will keep him at this level or go for a maiden hunter chase.”

McConville’s spectacular afternoon continued in the concluding Philip White Tyres six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden where he completed his treble on the William Larkin-bred Longtymegone (6/1 – 10/1). He wore his own red and white colours to victory for the second time of the afternoon, this time on the Portrait Gallery who improved from all previous efforts to deny the well-supported favourite Cosmic Flight (6/4 favourite) on his 10th outing. The Alan Wells-trained gelding is a half-brother to Battle Dust, a point-to-point and novice hurdle winner, and is out of a half-sister to four-time hurdle winner Knockieran. The elated winning owner, who also claimed the leading rider prize, said: “He is a nice horse and was unlucky not to have collected before now. He has had problems with his jumping before but we have done a lot of work with that. He really stayed on well and could head for a winners’ race now.”

IMPRESSIVE

The most impressive winner of the afternoon was the Pat Fahy-trained Quinnsborotemptres (4/1 – 5/1) in the Donnelly Bros, Dungannon five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

The Natalie Fahy-owned daughter of Gamut showed useful form on the track finishing second in a Wexford bumper under Nina Carberry. After jumping well and travelling powerfully, the Richie Deegan-ridden mare was firmly in control approaching the last fence and easily went clear on the run in to come home 10 lengths clear of the James Lambe-trained favourite Drumconnor Girl.

Fahy commented of the winning half-sister to John Queally’s hurdle winner Oscar Vespasian: “She was going well at Tyrella when falling and came up against a very good mare when second at Kirkistown in a very fast race. She has been jumping and working very well at home and thought she would go close today. We will have a think about what to do with her next.”

Finishing second in the Armagh Construction Ltd Open last year behind Quiet Account, the Mark O’Hare-partnered Clondaw Frisby (3/1 – 4/1) returned to winning form getting the better of the two market leaders Milan Dancer (1/1F) and Vinnie Luck (7/4). To the fore throughout, the Jerry Cosgrave-trained Flemensfirth gelding went to the front before the last and gamely held off the challenge of Vinnie Luck by a length and a half with the same distance back to the favourite Milan Dancer.

The delighted winning handler stated: “He really runs well fresh and was on the button today. Mark said he felt great. He jumped better today and put in a real gutsy performance.” Owned by the Co Down based Carnglave Syndicate comprising of Ray Nicholas (who is also part owner of the runner-up), Sam Campbell, Fred Mackey and Ken and Jennifer Stitt, the nine-year-old winner will now head to the hunter chase in Down Royal on Saint Patrick’s Day.

Spectators were treated to a thrilling finish in the Markethill Livestock and Farm Sales five-year-old geldings’ maiden with the judge declaring a dead-heat between the Colin McKeever-trained favourite Ballyart (4/5 favourite) and Liam Lennon’s School Lane (8/1). Racing in the familiar Wilson Dennison colours, Ballyart under Derek O’Connor disputed for much of the contest with the Declan Lavery-partnered School Lane.

As both geldings jumped the last in unison Ballyart looked to be getting the upper hand on the run to the line however School Lane rose his effort close home to join issue with the Scorpion gelding to provide Lavery with his fifth-winner of the season.

Ballyart is a half-brother to Killarney maiden hurdle winner Wontbelongnow. “He has improved with every run and he has always stayed very well. The stiff course suited him and he could develop into a nice big staying chaser,” stated McKeever.

Training his first winner of the season, Newry-based Lennon remarked: “He has really improved with time being by Winged Love. He had a great run at Loughbrickland in soft conditions and I thought he would go very well today. Declan (Lavery) gave him a lovely ride from the front.” Both horses will be offered for sale now.

Hughes on track

LEADING National Hunt jockey Brian Hughes, who currently lies in third place in the NH jockey’s championship in Britain was present at Armagh point-to-point last Saturday. Having enjoyed a treble at Ascot the previous Saturday, including his first Grade 1 victory on Waiting Patiently for Ruth Jefferson, the Newtownhamilton native was serving a four-day suspension which enabled him to attend his local point-to-point.