Neil O’Donnell

THERE was a truly international flavour to the traditional Easter week meeting at Inch on Wednesday as it witnessed the fourth annual renewal of the Irish versus British riders challenge. Last year’s challenge took place at Chaddesley Corbett in May and the Ballyanthony venue was selected as the venue for this year’s Anglo-Irish event a couple of months ago.

Two out of the six races were challenge races and the visitors went away with the 2016 honours, primarily thanks to team captain Gina Andrews’ victory aboard ex-track performer Bye Bye O Bye in the East Cork Oil six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden for lady riders.

Bye Bye O Bye (5/2) certainly had the form to win this race as he finished a fine second on his point-to-point debut at Ballyragget just three days earlier. There was drama in this race as favourite Manwell, having led from the sixth of the 15 fences, ran out on the turn into the home straight before the eighth.

The towering Dancingatlughnasa was then left at the head of affairs and he led until overtaken by Chester Copperpot after the fourth last. The eventual winner was however edging ever closer and he went into pole position at the penultimate obstacle. There was only going to be one outcome thereafter as he stayed on well to defeat Chester Copperpot, ridden by Britain’s Hannah Watson, by three lengths with a short head gap back to Evanna McCutcheon’s mount Dancingatlughnasa in third spot.

Bye Bye O Bye, placed on three occasions on the racetrack, is now trained by local Dungourney-based handler Michael Griffin for Galwegian owner/breeder Danny Grealish and the triumphant son of Kadeed will now be aimed at a winners race.

Whilst Irish team captain Derek O’Connor won the Connollys Red Mills & Centra six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden for gentlemen riders aboard Vulgans Watch, the visitors won the challenge due to a higher number of placings.

In this 12-runner contest, favourite Laura’s Lark went to the front at the ninth fence, but the Hillary McLoughlin-trained Vulgans Watch (3/1) was always in her slipstream. The winning daughter of Presenting took up the running clearly travelling best after the third last and it was Moonlight Whispers and Darren Edwards, region champion points rider in the Devon and Cornwall area, that came through to finish second, four lengths adrift of the triumphant six-year-old.

Vulgans Watch, who was having a fourth career start, represents the 10-member Gold and Blue Syndicate from Co Tipperary and the bay may now be offered for sale.

TOP OF THE TABLE

O’Connor went on to record a two-timer, moving onto 35 winners at the head of The Irish Field riders championship in the process, when landing the closing T & M Fitzgerald & Kelkab Ltd five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden aboard long-time ally Sean Aherne’s Ben Arthur.

Having finished on his previous start at Lismore, Ben Arthur (5/4) was always well positioned here and Rocking DJ attempted to seize the initiative by dashing into a four-length advantage on the descent from four out.

The reigning champion was alive to the move though and Ben Arthur moved closer from two out. He challenged and led at the last and, although Rocking DJ held every chance briefly, the market leader asserted on the flat to oblige by two lengths.

Ben Arthur is owned and bred by former Waterford hurdler James ‘Joxer’ O’Connor, who previously attained points success with the Aherne-trained pair of Harpor and Pairc Na Gcael.

Jamie Codd was similarly in double form and he signed off by returning to the coveted number one slot aboard Denis Ahern’s Sumkindofking, an own-brother to this season’s Leopardstown Paddy Power Handicap Chase winner Minella Foru, in the Hurleys Supervalu, Midleton five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Sumkindofking (6/4 – 11/8) certainly had the form to win this race as he finished a fine third on his debut at The Pigeons on March 6th. He made smooth progress from mid-division after four out to lead at the second last. There was only going to be one outcome from here as the winning son of King’s Theatre stormed clear in the style of a considerably better than average sort on the flat to slam Chu Chu Percy by nine lengths in the silks of Ahern’s brother Michael.

Sumkindofking, bought by connections as a foal at the 2011 Fairyhouse November National Hunt sale, is likely to be racing for new owners when next seen.

The Denis Murphy-trained Big Robin initiated the Codd brace in the opening ITBA four-year-old mares’ maiden, a race in which several future winners are likely to emerge from.

Tacenda set out with the intention of making all here and Donnchadh Doyle’s charge still held a two-length advantage when cruelly unseating two out.

Big Robin (4/1), one of just two out of the 13 runners in the race with the benefit of a previous run, was left in front and she powered clear on the run-in to dispose of Molly Childers by three lengths in the colours of handler Murphy’s long-standing patron Tom O’Sullivan.

There was just one horse to benefit from front running tactics and that was the Sam Curling-trained Ardmayle who made virtually all with Roger Quinlan in the Goffs UK Aintree Sale four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Ardmayle (5/1), who was still bowling along merrily in the lead when falling three out on his debut at Tyrella earlier this month, was quite lucky to stay on his feet at the first fence. The winner’s jumping improved as the race progressed and frequently he gained a couple of lengths at his fences. He seemed to have a battle on his plate though when runner-up Skinflint loomed up with menace before the third last.

Whilst coming under pressure after two out, Ardmayle responded generously and he quickened clear from the last to eclipse the newcomer Skinflint by one and a half lengths. Drovers Lane, who was very badly hampered six out, returned a further four lengths adrift in third spot. The Zoe Doyle-owned Ardmayle, is now likely to be sold.

International flair

FULL marks to the Inch committee for staging a wonderful meeting and there was a true carnival atmosphere with plenty of spectators from Britain in attendance. The British female team comprised Gina Andrews, Hannah Watson, Catherine Walton and Bryony Frost, who was a late replacement for Claire Hart.

Their Irish counterparts meanwhile were Liz Lalor, Maxine O’Sullivan, Evanna McCutcheon and Sheila Ahern. The four members of the male team from Britain were Will Biddick, Darren Edwards, John Mathias and Nick Orpwood whilst they came face-to-face with Derek O’Connor, Jamie Codd, Barry O’Neill and Rob James.

Curling success

SAM Curling was keen to pay tribute to Jimmy Mangan following the success of his charge Ardmayle in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, saying: “I bought this horse from Jimmy Mangan last summer and he was already broken at that stage. Jimmy had a fabulous job done with him. He’s a lovely horse with plenty of speed and he will now go to some of the sales.”