GALE-force winds and heavy intermittent wintery showers failed to spoil the weekend’s undoubted feature, with the banks race at Lingstown proving to be a real spectacle.

A bumper field of 15 runners faced that starter, but natural ability over these unique obstacles soon began to split the field and Festival Opera (8-4/1), who had proven himself when finishing a fine third in the Ladies Cup at last year’s Punchestown Festival, began to take control from the big double bank on the final circuit, in what was the 24th or 32 fences in total.

Luke McGuinness’ move aboard the 11-year-old proved decisive as he pulled farther clear to carry the colours of Greyhound vet Denis Beary to a facile 15-length victory over former course winner Venitien De Mai.

“Denis (Beary) bought him for the Ladies Cup. That is the next port of call after that and Luke (McGuinness) gave him a good ride. He rode one for us before and it won so he still has a 100% record for us!” remarked the winning handler Philip Dempsey.

FEATURE RACE

The feature race may have left the county; however, four of the remaining five races went the way Wexford-trained runners, including the winner of two contest, which fell to Spanish Leather (5/2-3/1) for the neighbouring Duncormick-based Brian Jordan.

A convincing Ballinaboola maiden winner last month, the six-year-old made amends for his recent defeat at the hands of Loggan Lady in Tinahely, when fending off the renewed challenge of recent Tyrella maiden winner Ya Boy Ya by three lengths.

“He made amends there and on home turf too which is nice. We will try sell him if we can, but if not, he will go for another winner of two race,” said Jordan of the Inish Stables Partnership-owned Ask gelding.

That success had completed a double on the day for rider Mark Scallan, who had double the reasons to celebrate his initial winner, having also saddled Costalotmore (4-5/1) to take the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

He had caught the eye when staying on to finish fifth at Punchestown last month, and in a very positive ride, he got first run over the narrowly denied Oldtown second, Goodoldtimes, and was able to hold on by a length for his owner-breeder Desmond Ellard.

“We got no run at Punchestown and probably should have won as he is a decent horse. The owners bred him, and I would say they will look to keep him and either go for a winner race or bumper now,” reported Scallan who has five horses in training locally.

NEWCOMER

The defeat of Goodoldtimes left Denis Murphy without a victory on the card, however there was some family success when his sister Bernie sent out the newcomer Ard Abhainn (8-10/1) to claim the five-year-old mares’ maiden.

Yet another winning off-spring of the late Jeremy, the newcomer got the better of fellow debutante Get The Appeal to win by a length and a half in the hands of Kevin Corrigan.

The mare comes from a family that the handler knows well, as she explained: “She is out of a mare that was with Paul Nolan’s and I use to ride out the mother when I was in Paul’s about a hundred years ago and she got blacktype four times.”

This was first the winner that the Blackwater native had sent out for winning owner Pat Coffey and she was quick to mention him when adding: “I’m delighted to have had the winner in the green and gold colours for Pat (Coffey) as it means a lot.”

Ard Abhainn was joined on the boat to the Cheltenham sales by Bravemansgame (2/5/1) following his impressive debut success in the four-year-old maiden, to provide winning handler Donnchadh Doyle with back-to-back victories in the race, following the success of last month’s easy Navan bumper winner Thatsy 12 months ago.

A €48,000 purchase from the Derby Sale for the Monbeg Syndicate, the French-bred proved much too good in the hands of James Walsh, as he defeated For Talks Sake by eight lengths.

“He is a machine. We think an awful lot of him, but he did that well despite being a bit green. He made a bad mistake with a mile to go, but it was pure ability that made it still look that good. James (Walsh) gave him a brilliant ride too,” said Eamon Doyle, brother of the winning handler.

There were big celebrations in the winner’s enclosure following the eye-catching success of Knockenagh (5/2-7/2) in the concluding older maiden, as the six-year-old improved upon his fine second at Boulta to get his head in front at just the second time of asking.

One of just two horses that Kilmeaden-based Bernard Crowley has in training for point-to-points, the six-year-old routed the field in the home straight to get the better of Getawaytonewbay by eight lengths in the colours of the five-strong Four Counties Racing Syndicate, who were on hand to greet their winner.

“He was a little bit inexperienced at Boulta, but it was the ride Paul (Power) gave him that day which made him for today. He wasn’t hard on him and that stood to him,” said Crowley following the success of the Paul Power-ridden bay who will head to the track now if not sold beforehand.

Banks race

THE €3,050 pot that was on offer in the banks race, thanks to the support of Hearne Line Marking, proved to be a big draw with one of the biggest fields for some time lining up in the day’s feature.

The course also featured new additions, with the runners now being diverted into the spectator’s enclosure where four fences were jumped in front of the racegoers. The race and course proved to be a real credit to all involved.

It was fitting that the banks race was ultimately won by Festival Opera, a horse that was originally been trained by the late William Codd.

Codd was a big part of the Lingstown point-to-point for so much of his life, with racing take place on their family land, and he was very much remembered with the success of his former charge in the day’s feature race.

Brave Mansonnien is not a name that will be all too familiar to many on these shores. However, if the debut success of Bravemansgame, his first offspring to run in a point-to-point here is to go by, we could be hearing more of him.

The 16-year-old is a winner over obstacles in his native France and stands for just €1,500 at Haras de Talma, close to the Belgian Luxembourg border.