THE two-day South Union Foxhounds Kinsale meeting at Farrangalway concluded on Sunday and the Michael Goff-trained Est Illic created a hugely-favourable impression by destroying the opposition in the second division of the O’Leary Insurance Group four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Est Illic (5/1), owned by Derek Tobin, showed his class coming fourth to Easyrun De Vassy on his previous start at Oldcastle. He got into a lovely rhythm in mid-division with Shane Fitzgerald as Mistermoonboy established a clear advantage from before half-way. As the frontrunner came back to the field, the winning son of Court Cave went to the front after the fourth last fence. It was all plain sailing from before the second last as the €28,000 graduate of the 2017 Goffs Land Rover Sale swept clear to contain newcomer Hurricane Arcadio by 12 lengths on what was his fourth career start.
“He’s a horse that was sick earlier in the season, but I’ve loved him from day one and he will probably be sold now,” said Goff.
TWO FINISHERS
The first division of this same contest developed into a somewhat grief-stricken affair with just two out of the nine runners completing the course. Five of the non-completers had departed from the race before the half-way point.
The Sean Doyle-trained Caspers Court (10/1) made the decisive move by easing to the front with Pat Collins after the bypassed fourth last and it was clear that the grey, who shares his sire with Est Illic, was containing the favourite Memory Tree on the run to the penultimate obstacle. Memory Tree came to grief here when some eight lengths adrift in second spot.
First-timer High Up In The Air finished 15 lengths behind the winner.
Doyle’s brother Donnchadh indicated that the Monbeg Syndicate-owned Caspers Court, a close relation to French listed-winning chaser Fire Ball, will now be sold.
BOWE SUCCESS
The absent Colin Bowe fielded three of the 11 runners in the opening Celtic Ross Hotel four-year-old mares’ maiden. Remarkably the trio filled the placings with Newtown Lakama springing a major surprise to provide Declan Queally with the opening leg of a double.
Takingitallin edged ahead after four out, but Newtown Lakama (8/1) made smooth progress on the inner before the second last and she took the measure of the Bartlemy runner-up on the flat to win by a half-length. Subtle Quest meanwhile returned a further four lengths adrift in third spot.
The well-built Newtown Lakama, a half-sister to dual track scorer Steel Bob, represents her Clonroche-based breeder Walter Crean.
Queally completed his double with owner/trainer/breeder John Morrison to collect the Higgins & Co Catering Solutions six-year-old geldings’ maiden with Arch Melody.
Oscar Nomination moved through to lead at the fifth last and Arch Melody (5/1 – 4/1) subsequently attempted to overtake the market-leader on the inner on the ascent from three out. That manoeuvre was blocked, but the recent Tralee fourth stormed past on the outer before two out to beat Oscar Nomination by three lengths.
Arch Melody is now likely to try his luck over hurdles during the summer, according to Morrison’s representative Darren Pratt.
BOOKMAKERS GLORY
On a desperately bleak afternoon for punters, the 15 bookmakers present were once again smiling when a major gamble was foiled on Kadmer in the Glasslyn Veterinary winners of two.
Kadmer (6/1 – 4/5) always travelled with purpose towards the head of affairs and he went for his race at the third last. The Marie Harding-trained 11-year-old, Keep Back (10/1) with Eoin O’Brien moved past Kadmer two out. He dismissed Kadmer from the final fence to win by an increasing four lengths. There was a similar margin back to the five-year-old Crossley Tender in third spot. Harding indicated that her father Johnjoe’s Keep Back, who is used lead the young horses at her Castletownroche base, will return pointing in the autumn.
Kadmer’s handler Ray Hurley and rider Ciaran Fennessy didn’t leave empty-handed. Chadown recorded a last-gasp success in what was the closest finish of the afternoon in the concluding Good Fish Company seven-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.
Vermout Fougeray cruelly unseated his partner at the final fence in Inchydoney the previous Sunday with victory apparently at his grasp, set out to make all. The pacesetter still held a two-length advantage at the final fence, but the towering Chadown (6/1) responded well and surged past as the line approached to deny Roy Tyner’s mount by a neck.
Chadown, owned by Innishannon-based Mrs Patricia O’Driscoll and homebred by her long-standing points-supporter husband Barry, is likely to return pointing next season.
Dubai Ash initiated the opening leg of an across-the-card double for absent owner/trainer Sean Aherne, also on the mark with Gabrielleamee at Ballingarry. Dubai Ash (8/1) credited Shane Baragry with a fifth success of the campaign in the Johnson & Perrot Motor Group six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden. The triumphant seven-year-old, was welcomed back into the number one berth by breeder Paul Condon. Sorrel Sue finished in second place.
O’Sullivan lands Bill Twomey Cup
IT was announced during racing that 18-year-old Michael O’Sullivan, who partnered four winners in points this season, won the Bill Twomey Perpetual Cup for the leading novice rider in the Cork and Waterford region.
There were four absent winning handlers on Sunday. Colin Bowe and Sean Aherne, on the mark with Newtown Lakama and Dubai Ash respectively, were both at Ballingarry where they also figured amongst the winners. Arch Melody’s owner/trainer/breeder John Morrison was represented by Darren Pratt whilst Sean Doyle missed the victory of his charge Caspers Court, but brother Donnchadh was on hand to greet the triumphant grey.