THE Michael Winters-trained Osca Loca continued her upward trajectory when benefiting from a supremely confident waiting ride from Chris O’Donovan to claim victory in the mares’ winners of one.

Cool Dove took the 10 runners along at a sensible pace but she had a whole host of potential challengers lined up in behind on the run to the third last of the 14 obstacles, with the eventual winner still positioned in mid-division.

The race began to take shape on the stiff ascent from two out as the recent Belharbour maiden winner Osca Loca (5/2) moved third behind Cool Dove and Rosfoyle. The daughter of Oscar powered into the lead on the run to the final fence and then stayed on stoutly to defeat pre-Christmas Ballindenisk victor Rosfoyle by three lengths.

“She is a staying type of mare that settled well and she loved the ground out there today. We will now train her for the mares’ hunter chase at Cork over Easter,” reported Winters of Osca Locca, representing the executors of the late Carl Beame.

STUNNING

Absent handler Colin Bowe still figured among the winners as he sent out the embryonic chaser Ferny Hollow to make a stunning debut in the two-and-a-half-mile four-year-old maiden, a race in which all nine runners were newcomers.

Ferny Hollow (3/1 co-favourite) was bounced out smartly by Jimmy O’Rourke and he had French Light as his closest pursuer on the run to three out. The winning son of Westerner stylishly asserted on the climb from two out, a fence where he actually blundered, and he was well in command on the approach to the final fence.

He then galloped farther clear, and with his partner looking around for non-existent dangers, he duly returned with 15 lengths to spare over Bloodstone in the familiar Milestone Racing Partnership silks. Ferny Hollow, an early April foal hailing from the same family as Morley Street and Granville Again, was purchased by his handler’s cousin J.J. Bowe for €38,000 at last year’s Derby Sale.

Ferny Hollow was added to last Thursday’s Tattersalls Ireland sale at Cheltenham.

MAJOR SURPRISE

There was yet another Co Wexford-trained winner as the Seamus Neville-trained Notice To Close sprung a major surprise with Mikey O’Connor in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, much to the joy of the 13 bookmakers present.

Former track performer Notice To Close (12/1), who fell and pulled up on his previous two points starts this season, was always on the pace and he led from the fourth fence until headed by seasonal debutant Barrowlands on the run to two out. The winning son of Martaline, who hails from the same family as Grade 1 Tolworth Novices’ runner-up Capitaine, gamely made his way back to the front on the flat and he maintained a narrow advantage to the line to account for Barrowlands by a neck.

Neville indicated that his wife Ina’s Notice To Close may now return to the racetrack. Neville has six horses with son William at his Bridgetown base.

Alannah Budds experienced an afternoon to savour as the 18-year-old from Killeagh, a sixth year student at Pobalscoil Na Trionoide in Youghal, recorded her first points’ success on Mrs McRo in the six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

West Vintage appeared the most likely winner once edging into a commanding advantage on the ascent from two out. West Vintage however, severely compromised her chances by running extremely wide off the turn well before the final fence.

Mrs McRo (9/2) was making steady progress the whole time and the previous Sunday’s Tallow runner-up joined issue with West Vintage on the flat before forging ahead as the line approached to beat Damian Murphy’s charge by a neck. Handler Budds will probably now run The Back Boreen Syndicate-owned Mrs McRo in a winners’ race.

FAMILY SUCCESS

There was another family success later in the afternoon as Darragh Allen steered his elder brother Sean’s Concrete King to a resounding victory in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden. The five-year-old Concrete King (3/1) showed talent earlier in the season as he appeared destined for third spot when falling at the final fence in the Boulta maiden won by West Cork Wildway last December.

The eventual winner ran in a lovely rhythm and he could be called the most likely winner once edging into a narrow advantage from four out.

He pushed on after the penultimate obstacle to dismiss Fanahans Well by 10 lengths. Araglen-based owner/trainer Allen said that his 2017 Goffs Land Rover Sale graduate is the only horse that he has at present.

Proceedings closed with the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden for novice riders and Jamie Scallan recorded an eighth career success by making his first ride for owner/trainer Tom Keating a winning one on Pay Later.

The British-bred Pay Later (7/2), who finished a respectable fourth behind Carrigmoorna Pine in a competitive Kilfeacle contest on his previous start three weeks earlier, was another to benefit from pace-setting duties. It was clear from two out that Pay Later was clearly travelling best in front, but he didn’t read the script as he gave his supporters some cause for alarm by jumping out to the left at the last. Runner-up Occupied couldn’t raise his effort with two lengths ultimately separating the pair as The Bonny Boy secured the minor honours, a further three and a half lengths behind.

Pay Later shares his sire Kayf Tara with Hugo ‘N Taz whom Keating also sent out to win this same race two years ago.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

BARROWLANDS (P. Fenton): This son of Stowaway occupied the runner-up berth on his two starts last season and he finished second here in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. It was by just a neck that he lost out to Notice To Close and a maiden success should prove a formality.

Big smile from Budds after win

ALANNAH Budds wore the biggest smile of the afternoon after her first points’ victory on her cousin Ken Budds’ Mrs McRo.

Handler Budds, who also provided the teenager with her previous success aboard former pointer Here For The Craic in a Tipperary lady riders’ handicap last summer, was equally thrilled. He said: “It’s great that Mrs McRo has won and I’m delighted to give Alannah a winner. She rides out for me at the weekends now that she’s studying for her Leaving Cert and she’s a terrific worker.”

Memorable day for Lalor and Keating

SUNDAY was a memorable one for Liz Lalor as she rode her 100th points’ winner aboard Cloudy Morning at Nenagh less than two months after giving birth to her and partner Tom Keating’s baby daughter Alex.

Keating was at Knockanard where he won the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden for novice riders with Pay Later. Like all of the Keating horses, Pay Later is on the market, although the owner/trainer was conscious of the fact that Liz may now want the gelding to ride in a winners’ race as she attempts to close in on Helen Bryce-Smith’s record of 106 winners between the flags.