Richard Pugh
MARK O’Hare enjoyed a double at Kirkistown last Saturday last where a disappointing turnout of just 31 runners faced the starter. With small entries across all meetings in Ireland and Britain, the small fields were in keeping with the track action which Franco Hughes was showing on his screens in the bookmakers ring all afternoon.
The opening Dennison Commercials four-year-old maiden went to the Warren Ewing-trained Cesar Collonges (7/1) who put up an exceptional display of jumping in what looked a decent maiden race for this age bracket.
The winner along with Clitandre were exceptional in jumping throughout with the Gigginstown/Elliott charge Or Jaune De Somoza a close third taking a lead off them.
From the second last however, it was clear that the front pair had found an extra gear and quickened away to dispute at the last.
Cesar Collonges found more here and went away to win by an impressive three lengths and will now, according to Ewing, head to the sales.
By Fragrant Mix, the winner is out of a winning mare who is a half-sister to Aintree Grand National winner Neptune Collonges.
O’Hare went on to complete a double in the Albert Bartlett five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden when the George Stewart-trained Slemish (5/4-2/1 favourite) ran out a very easy winner.
Third on his only two starts previously at Kirkistown and Armagh, he was sent off favourite here and was never in any danger when stretching clear from the second last.
Stewart noted after the race that the winner had been operated on for his wind since his last outing and it seemed to have worked well as he finished out his race better here.
Where he once had 40-50 horses riding out, Stewart explained he now has less than 10 riding out and has a busy time with his riding school and half-breds which are taking up much of his time.
The winner will now be sold, although Stewart admitted he would not be afraid to run him in a bumper in the coming weeks if he isn’t sold in the interim.
Ben Crawford took the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden aboard his brothers Red Con One (3-4/1). This looked a decent race where the Mick Goff-trained Clondaw Nell (3-2/1 favourite), who had been second at Templenacarriga, was sent off favourite and looked a real danger two out.
Hayley Belle who was another debutante for Jerry Cosgrave looked another with a big chance at the second last but Crawford was beginning to get his mount going from a close third.
QUICKENED UP
She quickened up well on the run across the bottom of the track and went to the front over the final fence to win nicely. She is owned and bred by Chris Johnson from Carryduff and is now for sale. She is a six-year-old daughter of Gold Well out of a Flemensfirth mare who was placed once.
David Christie and Barry O’Neill won the hunter chase at Leopardstown seven days earlier with You Must Know Me but were unable to enjoy the victory as the horse was fatally injured in the strides after the winning line.
They were back in the winner’s enclosure here when Valmy Baie made his point-to-point debut a winning one in the Old Manor Mill Open Lightweight. Four lined up for this contest with Neil McKnight’s One Cool Clarkson (4/5 favourite) sent off favourite but Valmy Baie (2-5/2) made all the running and ran out an impressive winner.
Setting a strong pace, this seven-year-old was in command from a long way out and impressed in the manner he carried O’Neill to the line in the colours of bookmaker Ray Nicholas. The winner had previously won a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse back in 2014 almost two years earlier.
The concluding older maiden went to the Jamie Codd-partnered Sizinguptherhine (1/2 favourite) for Jim Dreaper and Alan Potts.
Potts has been enjoying a good run recently with Venetien De Mai, Kayf Supreme and Smashing earlier that afternoon, all recent winners. This six-year-old was described by the trainer’s son Tom as a nice type who has been given time to mature and connections were delighted to get off to a winning start.
The winner made much of the running but was joined at the last by the Crawford charge Kilnakin (5/1) and both made mistakes. Codd picked his mount up from a mistake at the last to race clear but Crawford’s mount didn’t survive the blunder and this left Cabragh to fill the second position.
Three runners contested the winner of one but this race provided the most drama of the afternoon. Kraken Tale (5/4 favourite) was sent off favourite but unseated at the 10th and when running loose carried out Clough Ranger at the next fence.
This left Redbridge Rudi (6/4) alone and although Steven Clements rejoined aboard Clough Ranger (2/1), he was always completing for minor money as the winner was a distance clear.
Kraken Tale remained a danger running across the eventual winner but Gary Murphy was alert and steadied his mount up to win comfortably for Wexford handler Michael Murphy. The winner was following up a recent success at Ballinaboola.
O’Hare takes northern lead
MARK O’Hare recorded a double at the North Down fixture which brings him to nine winners for the season, eight of which are in the north. This gives him an early three-winner lead in the northern championship over Noel McParlan in second.
O’Hare has ridden 184 point-to-point winners in his career, his best season was in 2006/07 when he rode 29 winners but the year earlier he was joint northern champion with Derek O’Connor.
Winners produce more winners
GLABEJET took four point-to-points back in the early 2000s when ridden by both Davy Russell and Derek O’Connor, she then went on to record successes in three handicap chases when trained by John Brassil.
The daughter of Old Vic is now known as the dam of the Sizingdowntherhine, the newcomer who took the older geldings’ maiden at Kirkistown on his racing debut for Alan Potts and Jim Dreaper.