Michael Duggan
TIPPERARY trainer Pat Doyle was the man to follow at last Sunday’s Limerick Harriers’ session at Lemonfield where he landed the opening two races on what was a bitterly cold afternoon.
Doyle’s well-bred Gigginstown House Stud-owned debutante Shattered Love (4/5 favourite) was the choice of punters in the opening BBA Ireland Insurance four-year-old mares’ maiden and this daughter of Yeats posted an impressive success.
Sent to the front at the final fence by Derek O’Connor, Shattered Love stayed on in great style on the rain-sodden ground to beat Sam Curling’s Secret Door by four lengths.
“This mare could be anything,” said the winning handler. “She is a big, rangy type and is more like a gelding. She is as good if not better than the mare (Whistle Dixie) who won this race last year. That’s it for the season for her now.”
Doyle and Gigginstown House were back in the winner’s enclosure half an hour later as their newcomer Everyday Everyhour (2/5 favourite) accounted for his sole rival Conquer It in the Brightwells Bloodstock & The Blue Door four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Roger Quinlan did the steering aboard this son of Presenting who passed the post a short-head to the good over Harley Dunne’s mount after the pair had come close together on the run-in.
Doyle reported: “It was a messy type of race which didn’t suit us and Roger said he’d have won on the bridle otherwise. This horse is still very green and will improve a ton for this outing. He’ll go for the Land Rover Bumper next.”
O’CONNOR DOUBLE
Derek O’Connor, successful in the opener, went on to complete a double when guiding Robert Tyner’s Theatrical Rock (5/2) to victory in the concluding Leonard Mullins & Hogan Stand six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.
This was a fine training performance by Tyner with the successful son of Rock Of Gibraltar overcoming a 645-day absence to beat Terence O’Brien’s Knockrea by three lengths.
Tyner, who trains the winner at his Kinsale yard for Dunmanway, Co Cork owner Barry O’Donovan, said: “This was a competitive race and we were slightly worried about the ground for him too. He was working well at home though and did it nicely there as well. We’ll have a crack at a winners’ race with him.”
OPEN LIGHTWEIGHT
Eight went to post in the Noreen McManus open lightweight with victory going to the Eugene O’Sullivan-trained 7/4 favourite Drawn N Drank.
Cork amateur Turlough O’Connor sent this Irene Walsh-owned nine-year-old into an early lead and he fought off all comers when holding the late challenge of runner-up Tullintain to score by three-quarters of a length.
“He is a very consistent horse who loves a nice cut in the ground and jumps very well,” stated the Lombardstown, Co Cork-based winning handler. “He’ll stay going in these open races as long as the ground stays safe for him.”
Ballynoe, Co Cork trainer Paul O’Connell was on the mark in the Tattersalls Ireland & Gain Horse Feeds five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden where his Pat Collins-ridden Shaky Gift (4/1-2/1) did the business.
Edged to the front at the final fence, the Milan-sired Shaky Gift found plenty in the closing stages when pulling clear to beat John Gleeson’s Sophie Webster by five lengths.
“I shouldn’t have run this mare the last day at Dromahane as she was sick, but she did it very impressively today. Today was only her fourth outing and we think the world of her. She’ll go for the Gain Mares’ Final at my local meeting now.”
PURPLE PATCH
Jockey Liz Lalor is enjoying a real purple patch at the moment and she was seen at her best when bringing the Tom Keating-owned and trained Moorstown (4/1-5/2) home in front in the Dunraven Arms Hotel & Pegus Horse Feed five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Fourth at Punchestown on his previous start, this son of Oscar kept finding on the run-in when staying on gamely to deny John Nallen’s Minella Daddy by a neck.
Keating, who trains in Clonmel, divulged: “This fellow ran a cracking race the last day and we fancied him today. He’s a big, burly horse who takes a lot of work to get fit. His next outing will probably be in a point-to-point bumper at Cork over Easter.”
Horse to Follow
SECRET DOOR (S. Curling): This filly ran a fine race when chasing home the very smart Shattered Love in the opener. She jumped well and stuck to her task in likeable fashion. A similar contest looks well within her grasp.
A gift horse
JOCKEY Pat Collins was well impressed by his winning spin aboard Paul O’Connell’s Shaky Gift in the older mares’ maiden.
“She jumped super all the way and I can honestly say I was always confident of winning,” said the Castlemartyr, Co Cork rider.
“The Gain Mares’ Final looks an ideal target for her and I think she’ll be hard to beat in that. I’ve ridden 10 winners so far this season and things are going great for me thank God. I ride out for Terence O’Brien and Eoin Doyle which keeps me busy while I help my dad Matt at home on the family farm as well.”
Good buy
“MONEY well spent,” was owner Irene Walsh’s description of her purchase last year of Drawn N Drank following his success in the open lightweight.
“We saw he was listed for sale at Doncaster so we rang up his former trainer Enda Bolger and bought him there and then,” said the Cork native who lives in nearby Croom.
“My nephew Turlough O’Connor, who is from Newmarket in Co Cork, rides him and he gets on so well with him. This horse has now won three of his five starts since we got him and he’s been brilliant for us. Eugene O’Sullivan is a fantastic trainer and a really good friend too so it’s super for everybody involved.”