HAVING saddled the opening winner at Rockfield with the impressive Monbeg Aquadude, Donnchadh Doyle completed his domination of the weekend’s four-year-old maidens when taking the W.P. Mullins-sponsored opener with King Cool (10/1), one of two runners he saddled in the contest.
Restrained in rear by promising 5lb claimer John Doyle in a drama filled contest which saw the two market principals, Bellamy and Le Fou Royal, coming to grief at the opening obstacle, the King’s Theatre gelding jumped boldly, and it was one such brave leap which brought him into contention at the fourth last before he ultimately kicked clear after the penultimate fence.
Stable companion and long-time leader Kayfstar offered the chief opposition for much of the run up the home straight before ultimately being run out of the runner-up spot by newcomer Sir Jack Yeats in the shadow of the post. However, the pair proved no match for the winner who pulled a comfortable six lengths clear by the line.
With the victorious trainer choosing to instead journey to Rockfield, his brother Sean reported that the half-brother to track winners Brownville and Fahamore is sales bound: “He was running well before falling on debut and has plenty of ability and will win a bumper.”
Doyle completed his Grennan double and weekend treble in the John ‘Shark’ Hanlon five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden with his twice previously raced Stealing Mix (2/1 favourite).
A faller at the penultimate fence when running a big race on debut at Templemore last season, the Fair Mix gelding was ridden in a very similar manner to Doyle’s opening winner on the card, albeit with Rob James in the plate on this occasion.
Catching the eye when travelling smartly into the home straight, the five-year-old quickly put the race to bed between the final two fences as he returned four lengths clear over Ekbaal.
“He has loads of class and was travelling well when falling at Templemore,” reported Sean Doyle, adding of the sales bound bay gelding: “Barry (O’Neill) minded him when things didn’t go his way last time as he has loads of class.”
The Jerpoint winners’ of two appeared to be an intriguing contest on paper as it brought together the in-form mare Miss Coley and two formerly decent types in Davyroy and Likeable Rogue, both returning from an absence having missed all of last season.
All three held chances swinging in, however a final fence mistake was costly for the mare, who did not jump with her customary fluency, handing the Ciara Daffy-ridden and trained Likeable Rogue (5/1) with success on his return from a 539-day absence with the favourite Davyroy in fourth.
Formerly a winner at both Durrow and Belclare back in 2014 when providing Daffy, a contestant on the opening series of the TG4 reality series ‘Jockey Eile’, with both of her only previous successes, the nine-year-old battled best to score by three lengths from Miss Coley. Owned by the rider’s mother Annette, the Clare-based jockey reported: “I sent him to Robert Tyner’s last season but he got very sick and never ran, so he is back with me and I am training him again where he will probably stay pointing before possibly going for a hunter chase.”
The Sean Aherne-trained Forjoetheplumber (3/1) showed no ill-effects for the quick re-appearance just seven days after narrowly being denied a win at Dromahane by Mountain Lough.
Racing up with the pace throughout, the Corrouge gelding battled best to defy last season’s three-time winner Gullivar in the Ballygallon Stud open lightweight in the hands of Sheila Ahern.
A winner at Kinsale at the tail end of last season, the 11-year-old had been without a win since taking a two-mile hurdle at Roscommon in August 2009 prior to that success, but he appears to have found a rich vein of form at present.
“He loves that ground and we will keep him on the go until the ground turns so he could well re-appear at Dromahane again on Sunday,” commented the winning handler.
Seventeen-year-old Jody Townend made the best possible start to her riding career as she partnered King Willie, who is trained by her father Timmy, to a commanding five lengths success in the concluding Walsh’s Toyota Kilkenny older maiden for novice riders on her very first ride in points.
Heavily supported in the market from an opening price of 3/1 into even-money favouritism prior to the off, the son of Desert King, who had finished third in a Tipperary maiden hurdle in April, duly obliged, defeating the three-times placed Agent For Chaos.
A Leaving Certificate student at St Mary’s in Middleton, the winning rider is a younger sister of 2010/11 champion jockey Paul Townend, who was present at the track to witness the family success. “He was absolutely class and jumped like a stag,” was the immediate reaction of the jubilant rider following the victory.
INITIAL SUCCESS
Another rider to secure their initial success in the saddle was 20-year-old Barry Walsh, who works on the Curragh for John Nash, as he steered 8/1 outsider Ballydarsi to a narrow victory over the previously placed Taboo in a driving finish to the Dunphy’s Centra five and six-year-old mares’ maiden.
Racing prominently throughout, the five-year-old raced prominently throughout, before repelling all challengers to score by a head. Hailing from Gorey, Co Wexford, this was a real family success for the Walsh team, as the rider’s father John owns, trains and bred the victorious Darsi mare.
Her Rock Hopper dam, Ballyday June was placed in a Lingstown maiden for the family, and is a half-sister to their dual points winner Ballyday June.
“She is a big mare that stays and jumps, and so we could go over banks with her in the future as we also like to have a horse for those races,” said the winning handler.
Cool Doyle
Sean Doyle was full of praise for the ride 22-year-old 5lb claimer John Doyle gave his brother Donnchadh’s King Cool in the opening four-year-old maiden. “He works for Donnchadh and has only had three winners so far but he is great value for his 5lb claim.”
Fegentri success
Sheila Ahern has enjoyed a successful summer away from points, having last month won the German leg of the Fegentri Series at Cologne aboard the Christian von der Recke-owned and trained Vabinsaru. Ahern currently sits in third position in the overall championship, having also recorded victories at Muscat, Oman in March and Jagerso, Sweden in August.