BEAKSTOWN (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Stowaway - Midnight Reel (Accordion)
Andrew Slattery
Andrew Slattery has an enviable record of producing some high-quality performers through point-to-points, with Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen, RSA Chase winner Cooldine and Hennessy Gold Cup winner Quel Esprit among the pick of his past graduates. Beakstown could be another.
The imposing Stowaway gelding, who cost €15,000 as a foal, was clearly well thought of, as he was well-supported ahead of his Turtulla debut, eventually sent off as the evens-favourite. The bay gelding did not let his supporters down as he made all the running and was a class above his 11 rivals.
A half-brother to the unbeaten Grade 3-winning mare Minutestomidnight, who was sold for €200,000, he is well-related with the recent Grade 1 Drinmore winner Death Duty and the graded-winning pair Foxrock and One Knight also featuring on his page.
CLONDAW’S ANSWER (IRE)
4yo b g (F6-1)
Ask - Monabricka Lady (Moscow Society)
Mick Goff
Unlike many of the first-time out winners that feature on this list, Clondaw’s Answer is a second season campaigner who had two outings last season. In front of next time out winner, Knight In Dubai, when coming down on debut at Cragmore, the Ask gelding was then soundly beaten at Kirkistown when the stable was out of form.
The giant-striding bay gelding returned a transformed horse as he made all to run out an impressive six-length winner at Ballinaboola. The £60,000 that Tom Malone spent at the Cheltenham sales to acquire him could be money well spent, given that the runner-up fetched £100,000 later in the evening.
March Is On, who was 39 lengths in arrears, franked the form when winning at Boulta subsequently.
DANNY KIRWAN (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Scorpion - Sainte Baronne (Saint Des Saints)
Pat Doyle
From time to time, some horses build up a lofty reputation before they have even run. Samcro was one such horse ahead of his Monksgrange debut and Danny Kirwan was certainly another.
A lot was expected from the bay gelding when he ran at Lisronagh, and he very much delivered. The €19,000 purchase out of the Land Rover Sale, demonstrated a significant cruising speed as he breezed clear of his rivals in spectacular fashion.
Once Jamie Codd had allowed him to extend, the response was immediate and from that point the writing was on the wall for his rivals, as he sauntered to an effortless 11-length success in a time which was 20 seconds faster than the first division of the same four-year-old maiden.
Pat Doyle was clearly impressed with the son of Scorpion, as four months before that Lisronagh success, his Suirview Stables signed for a half-brother to Danny Kirwan by Jeremy for €60,000 at the Derby Sale. Danny Kirwan has since joined Paul Nicholls’ Ditcheat yard.
GOOD MAN JIM (FR)
4yo gr g (5-1)
Martaline - Precious Lucy (Kadrou)
Mick Goff
Good Man Jim recorded his maiden success in similar fashion to stable companion, Clondaw’s Answer, as the French-bred also made all the running under a well-judged Shane Fitzgerald ride. Fifth on debut at Monksgrange when reported to have scoped badly, the grey gelding took a notable step forward with a commanding victory at Dowth Hall. The strong gallop which was set had many of his 11 rivals out of their comfort zones heading out on the final circuit, and he clocked a notable time 17 seconds quicker than the day’s average.
A 14-length victory ensured that he went to the Cheltenham sales last month with a notable reputation, resulting in Roger Brookhouse parting with £360,000 to acquire the Martaline gelding, having already done well with similar Mick Goff purchases.
KNOW THE SCORE (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Flemensfirth - Prairie Bell (Sadler’s Wells)
Sean Doyle
Having been bought by David Pipe for £380,000 at the Cheltenham sales in November, Know The Score is one of the most expensive point-to-point horses sold at public auction, but it is not hard to see why he commanded such a notable price tag.
Costing €55,000 15 months earlier when purchased out of the Derby Sale as a store, the bay gelding has a notable pedigree being by Flemensfirth out of a Sadler’s Wells mare.
Sent off as the favourite for his debut on a high quality Ballinaboola card, in a race which his trainer Sean Doyle had introduced last season’s Grade 1 winner The World’s End two years earlier, Know The Score travelled strongly throughout under Harley Dunne.
Going on early in the home straight, he really stuck his head down in a likeable way to go clear in between the final two fences and he was certainly not stopping at the line, beating a well thought of runner-up by six lengths, with the pair in turn 16 lengths clear of the remainder in a 13-runner contest.
LUST FOR GLORY (IRE)
4yo b m (1)
Getaway - Maisie Presenting (Presenting)
Denis Murphy
It has been a notable autumn for young stallion Getaway, and the debut success of Lust For Glory was certainly amongst the most notable, as the bay mare overcame potentially costly trouble in running to record an impressive success.
Tracking the leaders on the run out on the final circuit, Denis Murphy’s mare was caught short of room rounding the bend to the second-last which certainly checked her momentum.
However, to her undoubted credit, she quickly regained those lost lengths, and was soon in command. She now joins Nicky Henderson having cost £240,000 at the Cheltenham sales.
QUEENS CAVE (IRE)
4yo b m (1)
Court Cave - Shuilan (Good Thyne)
Aidan Fitzgerald
With a long list of household names on her page including Gold Cup runner-up On His Own, Joncol and Liss A Paoraigh, it was no surprise that Queens Cave was sent off as the favourite for her debut, and she certainly appears to possess the ability fitting of her pedigree.
Brushing aside proven rivals with eye-catching ease under Richie Deegan, the daughter of Court Cave put the race to bed in a matter of strides from the penultimate fence, ultimately running out an impressive 10-length victor.
Having beaten the next-time out winners Malachys Girl and Hawthorn Cottage into second and third in a time which was only marginally slower than both four-year-old geldings’ maidens, great confidence can be taken from this performance to suggest that she has definite blacktype prospects. She joined David Pipe for £175,000 at the Cheltenham November Sale.
SOMETIME SOON (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Shantou - Back Log (Bob Back)
David Christie
David Christie has certainly proved himself adept at rejuvenating many older campaigners, transforming them into winning machines in the open division, but he could also be responsible for producing a very exciting four-year-old in Sometime Soon.
Out of a Bob Back mare, who was a winner on the flat over a mile and two furlongs for Jim Bolger, she has clearly passed on plenty of her pace to this bay gelding who was a €26,000 store purchase, as he looks a very sharp type.
Such was the manner in which he travelled through the final mile, that he made his way to the front along the back straight, and without ever having to be encouraged on by Barry O’Neill, he immediately pulled clear.
The race was already in the bag well before the Shantou gelding made his way into the straight as he ultimately cruised passed the line, without ever coming off the bridle.
The second and third both had previous form and Present Well has already advertised the form, going down by a neck at Moira a fortnight ago on his next start. He was for sale last night at Tattersalls Chelteham Sale.
STRAIGHT RED (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Westerner - Stratosphere (Selkirk)
Colin Bowe
Straight Red has quite a similar profile to Kirkistown winner Sometime Soon. Another sharp type, he has plenty of pace with a high cruising speed, demonstrated with his comfortable victory at Mainstown earlier this month. Despite being hampered by a loose horse throughout, the son of Westerner was very professional about the manner in which he raced, easing clear of his rivals with little effort.
Despite getting close to the final fence in the only semblance of an error, he picked up strongly up the run-in and could have won by many multiples of the winning three-length winning margin had it been required. He was offered at last night’s Cheltenham Sale.
TREVELYN’S CORN (IRE)
4yo b g (1)
Oscar - Present Venture (Presenting)
Colin Bowe
Trevelyn’s Corn cost €45,000 at the Derby Sale and it is easy to see why after his emphatic debut success at Borris House. The good-looking Oscar gelding caught the eye some way out with the ease in which he travelled through the race.
Even having his momentum checked by the mistake of the long-time leader at the fourth last, it failed to cause him any issues such was his natural cruising speed.
Having jumped well throughout, he picked up to when required to so, and outclassed his rivals.
There is very little not to like about this performance, which saw him defeat a Joseph O’Brien-trained Flemensfirth gelding who cost €40,000 as a store, and a race proven rival in third. His is certainly a name for the future and was offered last night at Cheltenham.