AIONE (FR)
4yo b g (1)
Coastal Path – La Horquela (Acatenango)
Donnchadh Doyle
Donnchadh Doyle has been the trainer to follow in the four-year-old division this year winning no fewer than 15 of these races in 2017 with a number of very smart performers. Aione is likely among the pick of his winners having made a winning debut at Dromahane last month.
The Coastal Path gelding made much of the running before quickening clear in eye-catching fashion at the final fence. Having jumped out to his right at that obstacle, he gave his nearest challengers the opportunity to come back at him, but he picked up again to comfortably hold them. With plenty of flat winners spread through his family, he appears to be a very sharp type.
BATTLEOVERDOYEN (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Doyen – Battle Over (Sillery)
Jerry Cosgrave
Battleoverdoyen was one of two very impressive spring four-year-old winners for his sire Doyen having won a Loughanmore maiden over Easter which has an unrivalled recent list of graduates. Clearly well thought of, he was backed into even-money and vindicated that support by comfortably defeating a pair of Colin Bowe-trained runners, including the very well-related Big Difference.
Fans of the clock will note he recorded a time 10 seconds faster than the day’s average and, having joined Gordon Elliott for £235,000 at Tattersalls Ireland, Cheltenham in April, he looks a high-class recruit.
BREWIN’UPASTORM (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Milan – Daraheen Diamond (Husyan)
Tim Hyde
Dan Skelton unearthed a promising four-year-old point-to-point graduate last year when acquiring Tim Hyde’s Cause Toujours, and he could well have another smart Hyde graduate after purchasing his Quakerstown winner Brewing’upastorm for £250,000 at Cheltenham in April. The Milan gelding produced a striking turn of foot inside the closing stages to lead from the second last and then he readily stamped his authority on a race which is working out well thanks to two subsequent maiden winners emerging from it.
CASTLEBROOK
4yo b g (12)
Oscar – Monty’s Sister (Montelimar)
Jimmy Mangan
The giant-striding Castlebrook may well have been beaten in a point-to-point bumper at Gowran Park following his Tallow debut success but he still has an awful lot of maturing to do and on the evidence of that points’ victory he should not be easily dismissed. Making all from flagfall in the small-field contest, he was in a league of his own, ultimately winning by a distance. He could be a star chaser in the years to come.
CHOOSEYOURWEAPON (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Flemensfirth – Definite Love (Definite Article)
Donnchadh Doyle
Chooseyourweapon lined up against some very smart looking sorts at Inch on his debut, and he overcame a mistake at the second last to win very impressively in the style of future stayer. The Flemensfirth gelding jumped the final with just a two-length advantage and what was most impressive about his performance was the manner in which he trebled that lead up the run-in and was going further clear by the line. He looks a true stayer with an exciting future ahead of him who has joined Evan Williams for £210,000 at the Cheltenham April Sale.
FELIX DESJY (FR)
4yo ch g (1)
Maresca Sorrento – Lamadoun (Smadoun)
Eddie Hales
Eddie Hales marked his first season of training Gigginstown House Stud-owned point-to-pointers by unleashing what visually appeared to be a special looking performance from the Franch-bred Felix Desjy. The always-prominent son of Maresca Sorrento was sent for home at the second last and immediately began to extend the advantage over his rivals, galloping relentlessly through the line to win by 15 lengths. With plenty of pace through his pedigree, he is not short of speed either.
FLEMENSHILL (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Flemensfirth – Southern Skies (Dr Massini)
Colin McKeever
Incredibly, the first four-year-old maiden of 2017 produced what has arguably been one of the strongest maidens in terms of the depth. Runner-up Defi Bleu had topped last year’s Derby Sale when bought for €255,000 as an unraced store, while the third-placed Palmers Hill, who also makes this list, came out and won impressively by 20 lengths on his very next start.
With the name Flemenshill and following in the footsteps of fellow Loughanmore Stable graduates such as Yorkhill, Shaneshill and Bellshill, he has big shoes to follow. He set set an all-time record for a point-to-point graduate at the sales when purchased by Colin Tizzard and Alan Potts for £480,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Sale in February.
MADISON TO MONROE (IRE)
4yo ro g (1)
Presenting – Caltra Princess (Traditionally)
Colin Bowe
The striking Madison To Monroe caught the eye on his debut owing to his unusual colour. Even without that trait, he was already the subject of much interest, as he made his debut at Monksgrange, the same venue at which his handler Colin Bowe had unleased Samcro 12 months earlier.
This Presenting gelding was never too far from the pace and once being asked to extend, he powered clear with an immediate response to suggest he has plenty of pace. Like Samcro 12 months earlier, he too topped the Goffs Aintree Sale – sold to Alan Potts for £300,000 to go in training with Jessica Harrington.
MR LINGO (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Curtain Time – Pharlingo (Phardante)
Joseph Ryan
Although the majority of point-to-points take place over three miles, more and more graduates are proving to be more effective over shorter trips and Mr Lingo is one such horse. The Curtain Time gelding disputed the lead for much of the contest but his natural pace allowed him to easily extend racing into the home straight. That turn of foot was very striking as he effortlessly eased clear of a number of well-bred rivals without having to be asked a serious question. He has now joined Gordon Elliott, having realised £250,000 at the Cheltenham April Sale.
PALMERS HILL (IRE)
4yo b g (31)
Gold Well – Tosca Shine (Topanoora)
Denis Murphy
Palmers Hill had the misfortune of making his debut in what, in terms of depth, was probably one of the strongest four-year-old maidens of the year, finishing third behind the impressive Flemenshill at Oldtown. The Gold Well gelding was probably not suited by the sprint finish which developed over two miles, four furlongs but he stayed on all the while.
He built on that promise when reappearing a month later at Tyrella over the longer three miles, where he ran out one of the easiest winners of the season, returning 20-lengths clear in a time 12 seconds quicker than the average. Unsurprisingly, he was in big demand at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Festival Sale, snapped up by Kieran McManus for £310,000.
PLOUIOS (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Milan – Garlucy (Un Desperado)
Donnchadh Doyle
Plouios will look to follow in the footsteps of Claimantakinforgan, who won the corresponding Loughanmore maiden 12 months earlier for the same connections, before finishing third in this year’s Grade 1 Cheltenham Champion Bumper. Having cost €52,000 at the Derby Sale, big things were always expected from him and he delivered when running out a convincing four-length winner. Like Claimantakinforgan, he appears to have all the pace to be a very decent bumper horse from the outset.
RAPID ESCAPE (IRE)
4yo ch g (1)
Doyen – Kenzie (Presenting)
Gordon Elliott
Making his debut in the same race which his trainer Gordon Elliott had won three years earlier with subsequent World Hurdle runner-up Alpha Des Obeaux, there was plenty of talk about Rapid Escape before the off. He certainly justified that, despite the slow early gallop which had ensured that the race was not run entirely to his liking.
Powering up the Tinahely hill to quicken off the slow gallop, he ultimately ran out a convincing 10-length winner over a race-fit rival. Elliott clearly has great faith in the Doyen gelding as he went to £240,000 to keep him in his yard at the Cheltenham Festival Sale.
STAY HUMBLE (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Beat Hollow – Rosy De Cyborg (Cyborg)
Pat Doyle
Walter Connors has witnessed many subsequent household names make their competitive debuts in the pointing fields carrying his colours, and perhaps none was as impressive as Stay Humble who has to rank very highly among the year’s best four-year-olds on the dominant display he produced at Ballynoe in early April. The pace of the race saw the field very well spread out heading into the final circuit and the Beat Hollow gelding caught the eye throughout with the manner in which he travelled, before easily asserting from the second last. This well-bred horse could have it all and is most exciting.
SUNSET SHOWDOWN (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Flemensfirth – Sunset Queen (King’s Theatre)
Denis Murphy
Sunset Showdown was not cheaply bought as a €58,000 graduate of the Derby Sale, however it was certainly money well spent as the Flemensfirth gelding created a big impression when making a winning debut at Knockanard in February.
In one of the early season contests which were run over the shorter two-mile, four-furlong trip, he stayed-on particularly well up the home straight to get the better of two well-thought of individuals in subsequent Lemonfield winner Master Of Tara, a €75,000 store purchase, and Donnchadh Doyle’s Chosen Path. With that form having been franked, he appears to be a very capable youngster.