Sean Ward

REIGNING The Irish Field champion-rider Barry O’Neill took the riding honours as the Suir Vale Harriers held their first autumn fixture at Knockinroe last Sunday.

The Wexford jockey initiated his brace in the Thomas Murphy & Son Machinery Ltd four-year-old geldings’ maiden as Blackjack Kentucky (4-5/1) confirmed the promise of his debut sixth at Quakerstown last spring in no uncertain manner. Making stylish progress to lead on the outer as the field began to sweep for home, the Oscar bay asserted soon after with three-length runner-up Thomas MacDonagh the only rival to offer any semblance of resistance.

The half-brother to four-time track scorer Thyne For Gold is handled by O’Neill’s long-standing ally Colin Bowe, who remarked: “This is a nice horse. We’ve always liked him and he’s progressing all the time. He will head to one of the upcoming sales next.”

O’Neill moved onto 14 winners for the season as local raider Kilnesare Kate (5/2-7/4F) obliged in the following Young Oil Ltd, Templemore & Kenneally Family, Ballyheen five-year-old mares maiden. The Leslie Young-trained bay gained a lead she would never relinquish after the completion of a circuit and ultimately made light of the testing conditions to dismiss Willie Murphy’s Brave Stowaway by six-lengths.

“She was entitled to do that. Thankfully the ground was nice and loose on top and she was able to get through it as we were concerned about it for her. We’ll go to the track next. It’s great to get a win here as we used to gallop in this field many years ago,” outlined Young whose carries the colours of Denis Ryan.

TAKING

O’Neill had been fancied to commence his afternoon in the best possible fashion aboard the Bowe-trained Its All A Lark (Evs-6/4F) in the Barnane Stud Ltd four-year-old mares maiden but had to settle for third-spot behind the taking Hawthorn Cottage (6/4-5/2).

Positioned prominently throughout by Mark O’Hare, the daughter of Gold Well assumed command of the five-runner contest with an impressive jump at the penultimate obstacle and easily kept up her relentless gallop to outpoint debutant Expresstime by seven-lengths.

“It’s just taken a while for the penny to drop with this mare. She’s good and consistent and seemed to enjoy today’s conditions.

“She’ll probably go the Cheltenham sales now,” revealed owner/trainer Warren Ewing, who has care of his recent Dromahane-third at his base near Templepatrick, County Antrim.

POINTING RETURN

The final of a trio of mares races on the six-race card, the Stapletons’ Bakery mares winners of one went the way of the Jamie Codd-partnered Freeway Space (2/1F) as she successfully returned to points following a series of luckless efforts inside the rails.

Content to wait towards rear for much of the journey aboard David O’Brien’s seven-year-old, Codd gave his mount the office shortly after the fourth-last obstacle with the pair drawing clear up the run-in to record a facile six-length triumph over the ultra-consistent Senators Glory.

“We’re very pleased with that. The plan was to get a run into her before she goes chasing on the track and thankfully it’s paid off.

She’s been unlucky up to now including in Thurles one day, so hopefully she can put things right now,” stated O’Brien of the Delton Syndicate-owned daughter of Oscar.

FIRST WINNER

The Burkes Filling Station Templemore & JH Roches & Sons five-year-old geldings maiden saw the likeable Voyage De Retour (6/4) provide Eddie Keating with his first winner of the campaign. Handled near Enniscorthy, County Wexford by the absent Daryl Deacon, the successful son of Craigsteel made eye-catching progress behind the leaders under a confident Keating as the four runners faced the second fence from home.

An efficient leap here saw the William Deacon-owned bay reach the head of affairs and from this point the result was never in doubt as he galloped on powerfully to outpoint Commanding Spirit by five-lengths.

“This is a lovely horse that did it very well today. He’d a nice debut run and we thought he’d win second time out but he wasn’t right when we got him checked out after. He’s a different horse after the break now and if he’s not sold, he will go for a winners’,” revealed Deacon’s head lad, Michael Roche.

FIRST WIN

Another amateur to record his initial victory between the flags this season was teenager Seán O’Keeffe as he guided pointing debutant Buckie Cullen (6-8/1) to victory in the concluding 13-runner Fitzpatricks Lounge Clonmore six-year-old and upwards maiden.

Similarly sired by Craigsteel, Denis Hickey’s homebred moved through on leaving the back straight for the final time before showing more than sufficient reserves of stamina in deteriorating conditions to record a five-length success over the patiently-ridden Whispering Hope.

Foulksmills, County Wexford-located owner/trainer Hickey, commented of his charge, who was sixth in a Punchestown bumper on his sole prior start: “This horse jumps very well.

“He’s from the family of our Thyestes Chase winner Bob Treacy, who was a great jumper also.

“We’ll enjoy today first and give it a fortnight or so before we make any further plans for this horse.”

First triumph

OWNER Denis Ryan was certainly on good terms with himself following the victory of his Kilnesare Kate in the five-year-old mares’ maiden. Accompanied by family and friends, the Drom native was recording his first triumph as an owner. The Mahler-sired mare unsurprisingly received the most vociferous welcome of the afternoon and the delighted owner said: “It’s great to taste success on local ground especially with a local trainer like Leslie (Young) who does a great job with the mare. We bought her as a foal off a cousin of ours, John Hassett of Barnane Stud only a few miles from here, so you could say we kept it all very local with the mare. The Raparee Bar in Drom will be our next port of call to let it all sink in!”