Margie McLoone

THE large crowd at Kirkistown last Saturday didn’t want for topics of conversation with Derek O’Connor’s countdown to his 1,000th pointing success, a very impressive four-year-old winner and a treble for Barry O’Neill.

Needing two wins to hit the target, O’Connor recorded just the one victory here, landing the RK Trucks Centre open on the Stuart Crawford-trained Muirhead (5/4-4/5).

Sole Witness was in front turning for home but had no more to give when Muirhead cruised up to join him on the outer at the last. The favourite eased clear up the run-in under a motionless O’Connor to beat Sole Witness by five lengths with the 5lb-receiving Johnnyofcourse two lengths back in third.

Muirhead, who has come on a lot physically since winning on his point-to-point debut at Tyrella last month, was greeted at the No 1 spot by his delighted owner Pat Sloan and her husband Joe. When asked if their Flemensfirth gelding would be heading to Cheltenham for the Foxhunter, Joe replied: “He’ll be given an entry anyway. He really seemed to be enjoying himself out there today.”

The Roger Quinlan-partnered Petit Mouchoir (3/1-7/2), jumping well throughout, made most of the running to land the Dennison Commercials four-year-old maiden for the powerful Gordon Elliott/Gigginstown House Stud axis.

Headed briefly by fellow French-bred Good Vibration four out, Petit Mouchoir jumped himself back into the lead at the next but was challenged on his outer over the second last by Dangerous Games. Halfway up the run-in, Petit Mouchoir quickened away to score by two and a half lengths. Favourite Some Are Lucky (6/4) was third, four lengths further back, with Good Vibration three-quarters of a length away in fourth.

Elliott wasn’t at the meeting but, speaking at Punchestown the following day, suggested that Petit Mouchoir would go for a bumper. A good-looking grey by Al Namix, the winner was consigned by Brown Island Stables to last year’s Land Rover Sale at Goffs where he was knocked down to Harold Kirk/Willie Mullins for €100,000.

TWO RACES

Barry O’Neill landed the following two races on Colin Bowe-trained horses who are both heading to the sales. First up, the experienced Katiebyrne (6/4, steady) made most of the running, at a slow pace, to land the Mash Direct five and six-year-old mares’ maiden.

All seven were in close contention three out but the favourite lengthened her advantage down to the next where a good jump by her stable-companion Escape Footwear brought that newcomer into a challenging position. At the last, it was Katiebyrne who fenced the better, going away to win by two and a half lengths.

“That’s my first point-to-point winner,” said Portmarnock, Co Dublin owner Brian Kenny who was accompanied by his wife Eileen. “She’s the only horse I have at the moment with Colin who I’ve known since his days in the half-bred business.”

GIRLFRIEND

Appropriately enough on St Valentine’s Day, O’Neill claimed the Albert Bartlett five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden on Move To The Groove (4/1-6/1), a 2010 Catcher In The Rye bay owned his girlfriend Brigid Bowe.

Taking the field along at a good clip throughout, Move To The Groove made every yard of the running to see off Wither Or Not by 15 lengths. Newcomer Carrickcross Boye never looked likely to reward those who supported him in to 5/2 from 4/1 before he was pulled up at the fourth last.

O’Neill joined forces with Ballyclare’s Shane Gault to land the Feedwell winners of two with Mister To Mister (5/2 co-favourite) on whom he had finished second at Tinahely last month.

In the closest finish of the day, the winner, who was never far off the pace, hit the front at the turn for home, heading the longtime leader Without Wings and Count Massini. The novice-ridden mare Without Wings kept on again in the closing stages and was three-quarters of a length behind Mister To Mister at the post.

“I lease a couple of stables from Ben Arthey but just have this horse in work at present,” said Gault.

OLDER HORSES

O’Neill and O’Connor both rode in the concluding older horses’ maiden but had to settle for second and third places respectively on the always-prominent Freddies Portrait and Merrydown Black.

The impressive winner was the twice previously raced Sunny West (4/1-8/1) who eased by Freddies Portrait on the run across to the home turn and went away to score by 18 lengths. As owner/trainer Rodney Arthur departed the parade-ring with the winner, it was left to his good friend Robert Patton to state that the Westerner gelding was most definitely for sale.

Inexperienced rider

FOLLOWING the winners of two, the stewards enquired into the running and riding of the second-placed Without Wings, ridden by Aileen O’Sullivan for handler Liam Lennon.

The rider explained that the mare ran in snatches, made a respiratory noise throughout and that she nursed her home. She admitted she was not a strong rider and was inexperienced and was caught in two minds late on as what was best to do.

Lennon expressed satisfaction with the ride stating he accepted some blame as he left a tongue-tie off the mare and this would have contributed to her making a noise. Without Wings was examined by the Turf Club veterinary officer and was found to be clinically normal. Samples were taken for analysis. The stewards noted the explanations of both rider and handler but advised O’Sullivan to improve her fitness and to be seen to make more effort in future.

Ferris to be cloned?

AMONG the many topics being discussed at Kirkistown on Saturday was this paper’s announcement of the cloning of Mary McCann’s great show jumping stallion Cruising.

There didn’t appear to be much support for the process among racegoers but conversation was brought to a total halt when the 1984 Irish Grand National-winning jockey Ann Ferris posed the question, “Should I be cloned?”

Stunned silence greeted the query which, as she really is a one-off, Ann was well entitled to ask!

HORSE TO FOLLOW

SUNNY WEST (R.I. Arthur): Bred by Whisperview Trading, this bay six-year-old is the first produce of an unraced Milan mare whose dam, Lunulae (by Tumble Wind), won three hurdle races, two when ridden for her father Joe Crowley by Annemarie O’Brien. This is the family of Hebridean, Brogella and Beef Or Salmon.