Neil O’Donnell

INCLEMENT weather conditions forced the postponement of the Avondhu Foxhounds meeting at Knockanard the previous Sunday, but there were no such difficulties at the popular Fermoy venue on Saturday and the Colin Bowe-trained newcomer Shadow Rider lit up the afternoon for many by posting a scintillating debut success in the opening Coolagown Stud & AIB, Fermoy four-year-old maiden over two and a half miles.

On what developed into a torrid afternoon for favourite backers, Shadow Rider (11/4) always travelled well in second spot for Barry O’Neill as Eleazar Des Neiges took the six runners along with the eventual winner giving his supporters their only cause for concern by blundering at the fourth last of the 12 obstacles.

With Eleazar Des Neiges then erring two out, the winning son of Martaline overtook the long-time leader before the final fence.

There was only going to be one outcome from here on in as the triumphant French-bred, representing veterinary surgeon Walter Connors who also owned Bowe’s recent Ballinaboola scorer Envoi Allen that was then bought for £400, 000 by Tom Malone at last week’s Cheltenham sale, stormed clear to beat odds-on favourite Full Time Score by six lengths. The physically-imposing Eleazar Des Neiges meanwhile returned a further one-length adrift in third spot.

“He won with a bit left in the tank. He’s still a bit green and he will probably now go to the Cheltenham sales next month, “said Bowe of Shadow Rider, an own-brother to Gordon Elliot’s Squouateur that finished third in the coveted Paddy Power Handicap chase at Leopardstown.

Mark Cahill generally fares well with his small string and the South Lodge-based handler combined with Eoin O’Brien to collect the Rathbarry Stud & Tattersalls Ireland five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Atlantic Shore.

A son of Mahler that looked a picture in the preliminaries, Atlantic Shore (5/2) finished second to Dickie Diver on his debut on extremely testing underfoot conditions at Templencarriga on New Year’s Eve and the Co Tipperary-trained raider was always well-positioned in this six-runner contest.

He moved past runner-up Speedy Cargo three out and he wasn’t going to be denied on the flat as he asserted to score by one and a half lengths. Champagne Well, who wasn’t exactly foot-perfect two out, gave ample indication of ability on his career debut by returning a further one-length adrift in third spot.

Atlantic Shore, a grandson of Letterlee whom owner/trainer Cahill’s late father Tom sent out to win the 1998 renewal of the Thyestes Handicap Chase, is now likely to be offered for sale.

The Norman Lee-trained Johnnys Girl continued rider James Hannon’s fine season by obliging at the first time of asking in the Gain Horse Feeds & The Avondhu Bar six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the day in nine runners.

Johnnys Girl (7/2) moved through to dispute the running on the descent to three out and she then edged into a narrow advantage on the steep ascent from the penultimate of the 14 obstacles.

The winning daughter of Flemensfirth coasted clear of Baile Boru from the final fence to score by two lengths, the pair returning seven lengths clear of the third-placed Glorious Ziva. Lee indicated that Johnny Girl, sporting the silks of Co Roscommon owner John McDonnell, will now be prepared for a tilt at a bumper.

Lee was fancied by many to complete a two-timer with Cloudy Day in the Riordans Supervalu & Auto Dismantlers mares’ winners of one, but the odds-on shot found one too good for her in the form of Our Henrietta.

TACTICS

Our Henrietta (4/1), who was providing her absent handler Liam Kenny’s 19-year-old James with a third career success, benefited from frontrunning tactics. The triumphant daughter of Winged Love led until overtaken by Cee Jay McBride after four out. Our Henrietta, owned by Joe Whelan, was however back in front two out and she then bravely answered every call in the closing stages to oblige by three lengths.

This Sunday’s Tinahely fixture could be Our Henrietta’s next port of call.

There was another father/son success as Derek McGrath guided his father David’s Vetoncall to victory in the closing Grange Stud, Coolmore & Shinnicks Bar six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden for novice riders.

Vetoncall (9/4), who brought the best form to the table considering that he finished second to subsequent British novice hurdle winner Rosmuc Relay on his previous start at Boulta in December, moved past Glorious Boru on the ascent from two out.

The winning son of Well Chosen however gave his supporters extreme cause for concern by running off a straight line on rounding the turn before the last. Glorious Boru though wasn’t able to capitalise in any way as Vetoncall, owned by the elder McGrath’s wife Mary, still returned with five lengths to spare over Denis Ahern’s charge.

The biggest cheer of the day was reserved for The Talty Man, one of just a handful of horses trained by Eleanor Broderick who is also the landowner of the Ballyarthur point-to-point course outside Fermoy, as the son of Dansant returned to a rapturous reception on winning the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunt maiden.

The Talty Man (4/1), who showed promise on a few occasions in the past most notably when finishing fourth behind Three Loud Knocks at Turtulla back in November, recorded a pillar-to-post success to provide Darragh Allen with a 17th career success as he forged clear from the last to dismiss the mare Potters Vision by seven lengths.

Ms Broderick indicated that The Talty Man, owned by Pat White who originally hails from rider Allen’s home parish of Araglen, will now run in the Lismore winners contest next month.

Minute’s silence

Fittingly, there was a minute’s silence held before racing in memory of the meeting’s landowner Pats Moore who sadly passed away the previous Saturday night – February 10th. Pats, who was in his 80s, was the leading point-to-point breeder during the 2004/05 season as he bred six individual winners. May he rest in peace.