Eoghain Ward

THE success of Cavallo Gold (4/0-10/1) in the Thomastown GAA six-year-old and upwards maiden proved to be a truly poignant winner for local owner Michael Maye as he witnessed his colours carried to success for the first time, just three days after burying his late wife Mary, who passed away following a short illness.

The six-year-old had pulled-up on both of his previous starts last season, however the unfancied son of Touch Of Land, made strong progress early in the home straight, before overcoming a penultimate fence error to defeat the six-times previously placed Royal Haslar for Shane Baragry and absent trainer Garret Power.

Based in Piltown, Maye also bred the victorious bay gelding out of his Beau Sher mare Ashtown Rose, a twice previously raced mare whose half-sister October Mist, a six-time winner and Grade 2 runner-up, he also bred. A visibly emotional winner paid tribute to his late wife following the success, attributing the victory to her looking over them on the day.

Wexford rider Barry O’Neill has enjoyed a strong start to the new campaign, and an impressive double at Grennan ensured he is the only rider to currently sit on the double-figure winner’s mark. A leading title contender last season, O’Neill continued the strong relationship which he has built up with the David Christie-trained Valmy Baie (1/2-4/6 favourite), as the pair eased their way to success in the feature Ballygallon Stud open lightweight.

Having destroyed the opposition on his latest outing at Portrush a fortnight earlier, the seven-year-old unsurprisingly had his supporters in the market, and their gravest moments of concern came prior to the off as the French-bred son of Crillon played-up leaving the parade ring and was led down to post by the winning handler.

However once the tape went up, O’Neill was quickly allowed to establish a 30-length advantage, which none of his six rivals could overcome, as he returned six lengths clear of this season’s two-time wide-margin winner Ourmanmassini. “Watching him run makes my heart pound,” exclaimed the Fermanagh-based handler, who added that Ray Nicholas’ charge would likely run once more between the flags in the autumn before lining-up in the Down Royal Hunter Chase over Christmas, with the Aintree Foxhunters his stated long-term goal.

O’NEILL SUCCESS

O’Neill had early initiated his success in similarly impressive fashion aboard the Donnchadh Doyle-trained Talkischeap (4/6-4/7 favourite). Always positioned close to the pace on his fourth career start, the four-year-old son of Getaway who was in receipt of the 5lb weight for age allowance, produced a striking turn of foot exiting the back straight.

His biggest danger, the Ruaidhri Tierney-trained recent Rathcannon victor Sandycove Island, crashed out at the penultimate fence, he was fighting a losing battle at the time, as two electric jumps over the final two fences sealed a comfortable 10-length victory for the odds-on shot over Cant Pay Wont Pay.

The success of the Monbeg Syndicate-owned bay gelding provided his sire with his fifth pointing success with his first crop of four-year-olds. The winning Wexford-based handler stated that his charge was to be offered at yesterday’s Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham November sale.

Having offered plenty of encouragement with a third-placed effort on his debut at Tralee late last season, the John Halley-trained Mon Palois (5/2-1/1 favourite) proved himself to be a very sharp type as he out-sprinted the previously placed Special Prep in the opening W.P. Mullins Horse Trainer four-year-old maiden. That pair had set a strong pace from the outset in the 13-runner contest, with the son of Muhaymin gaining the upper hand by a length at the line in the hands of Pa King.

The winning handler, whose colours were also carried to success aboard the French-bred, was another to send his charge to the Tattersalls sale at Cheltenham yesterday evening.

LOOSE HORSES

The Dunphys Centra five and six-year-old mares’ maiden proved to be a grief-stricken affair with loose horses causing havoc in running with both The B and Dimpy Mulligan carried out by them on the final circuit, and the well-supported Nana Joan parted company with Barry O’Neill a mile from the finish.

The well-bred newcomer Bee A Beneficiary (5/2-5/1) had been relatively unconsidered in the market, but the daughter of Beneficial capitalised on the difficulties her nine rivals encountered to produce a likable attitude in the closing stages, under Richie Deegan, to out-battle the more experienced track recruit Malpensa by two-and-a-half lengths.

Carrying the colours of her Dungarvan-based breeder John Kiely, whose silks have also been carried to success by the four-time points winner Windy Millie in recent times, the bay mare is out of an Aristocracy mare who won a listed hurdle race for Brian Nolan. Winning handler Robert Widger, who has six horses in training, was not bullish on her chances ahead of her competitive bow noting: “I had thought she would need the run so I told her owner there was no point coming today,” before adding that the five-year-old would line-up in a winners’ contest in the coming weeks.

KENNY STRING IN TOP FORM

Wexford trainer Liam Kenny has his string in top form at present as the success of Battle Anthem (2-6/4 favourite) in the ‘Shark’ Hanlon Horse Trainer five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden provided him with his second successive victory in the age division following the success of Jalamie a week earlier at Maralin.

This three-times previously raced Royal Anthem gelding, a €5,000 purchase as a store, left his form from last term behind him on his seasonal reappearance as he easily asserted after the penultimate fence in the hands of Harley Dunne to account for the recent Portrush fourth Bricks And Beams by four lengths.

Kenny later indicated that the bay gelding, who is owned by the four-man Orphan Girl Syndicate, owners of Kenny’s 2012 Punchestown Champion Hunter Chase runner-up That Beats Banaher, would now head to the sales.

Baragry bags a win on his birthday

CORK rider Shane Baragry celebrated his eighteenth birthday in style as he partnered his third winner in four weeks when steering Cavallo Gold to success in the concluding older maiden.

The promising 5lb claimer, who has only had 27 rides to date, recorded his initial success last month and is sure to be sought after by handlers for novice rider races this season as he is currently riding to a 43% strike rate.

Brennan breaks collarbone

TWENTY-ONE-year-old rider Rob Brennan, who rides out for Kilkenny trainer Tom Mullins, was in the wars at Grennan on Sunday, as the Kildare native suffered a broken collarbone in a fall in the mares’ maiden on his first ride of the new campaign. Brennan, who partnered his first career winner at Durrow last season, came to grief aboard Gormans Pier at the second fence and now estimates he will face three to four weeks on the side lines.