Neil O’Donnell

THERE was some competitive fare on offer at Sunday’s exceptionally well-attended Liscarroll meeting, run under the auspices of the Duhallow Foxhounds at its customary Knockardbane venue. The Michelle Gannon-trained Judgement Day seems a ready made track winner judged by his scintillating debut success in the Goffs Bloodstock Sales four-year-old maiden.

In what seemed a vintage renewal with nine out of the 11 runners newcomers, the well-supported favourite Judgement Day (2/1 – 5/4) always took the eye in the running, as Champagne Mist set out with the intention of making all. Champagne Mist still held sway at the third last where the improving Morgan cruelly came to grief when challenging for second spot. Alfred Roller soon took over, but it was plainly apparent that the winning son of Martaline was poised to challenge.

He readily assumed command on the inner after the penultimate obstacle and although running wide through greenness off the bend before the final fence, he still beat the staying-on Graystown by three lengths in the hands of Roger Quinlan. Alfred Roller meanwhile posted a solid debut effort by securing the minor honours, a further one-length adrift in third.

“Roger (Quinlan) said that this fellow was very green and the plan now is that he will go to the Aintree sale next month,” said Dungarvan-based owner Frank Tobin of Judgement Day, who was homebred by his wife Ann.

Terence O’Brien has his string in rude health at present and the owner/trainer struck with Kilquane Jack in the Exors Of Late Dr R.J. Sheehy five-year-old geldings’ maiden, a race that the Carrigtwohill-based operator also won 12 months ago with subsequent dual bumper victor, Articulum.

Kilquane Jack (12/1), absent since pulling up on his debut at Killeagh a little over two months earlier, always impressed with the ease at which he travelled here as he mainly raced in third spot behind the pacesetting pair of Avant La Lettre and Lion Of Lackabane.

Runner-up Avant La Lettre led away from the penultimate of the 13 obstacles, but his measure had just been taken by the eventual winner when he made a horrendous blunder at the final fence, seven lengths then being the winning margin. O’Brien will now aim Kilquane Jack, a graduate of the 2014 Fairyhouse August sale, at a bumper and on this evidence, the son of September Storm should effortlessly develop into a track winner.

WINNING DOUBLE

Kilquane Jack’s rider Pat Collins was the only individual to depart with a two-timer, the east Corkonian earlier landing the Sygma Automation winners of one aboard Carraig Thuathail.

Seven-year-old Carraig Thuathail (5/2) led until he was headed approaching the sixth fence by favourite Ruairis Cloud. The latter still appeared the most likely winner on the approach to the last except that the triumphant son of Beneficial, a Boulta maiden winner in mid-December, was in full flow by now. He touched down in front here and then surged clear on the flat to contain Ruairis Cloud by three lengths. Owner/trainer Noel O’Neill, who was wholesome in his praise of Collins, indicated that Carraig Thuathail will now contest a winners of two with a tilt at a hunters chase featuring on the agenda later in the campaign.

Sean O’Brien, on the mark with Impulsive Star at Ballyarthur the previous Sunday, seems to have another nice prospect on his hands in the form of Johnnys Edge (5/4), who gamely obliged at the first time of asking by justifying favouritism in the closing Maurice O’Brien Agricultural Contractor, Liscarroll six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

The six-year-old did it the hard way by making practically all and he had just two challengers to contend with from four out in Hes Chancy and Fortune Bound as the trio had established a commanding 10-length advantage over their toiling rivals.

Hes Chancy held every chance from two out, except that one sensed that the winning son of Beneficial was always travelling marginally better. However, the market leader blundered here with Hes Chancy then hitting the front.

Johnnys Edge though gamely responded to Ciaran Fennessy’s urgings by storming to the fore in the shadow of the post to score by a half-length from Hes Chancy.

In what was the closest finish of the afternoon, the two principals returned three lengths clear of the third-placed Pocket Talk. O’Brien expects that his wife Caroline’s Johnnys Edge, acquired for €24,000 at the 2013 Goffs Land Rover sale, will progress and he hinted that next Monday’s Cork pointers bumper will unfortunately come too soon for him.

TRACK VICTORIES

There’s nothing quite like winning in front of the local contingent and 27-year-old William Cronin, who hails just seven miles away from the track in Doneraile, supplemented his three track victories by steering his uncle and godfather Paddy Cronin’s Pops Choice to an authoritative success in the Collins Bros Garage, Liscarroll six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

The hooded Pops Choice (5/1), an excellent second on her return to points duty at Kildorrery last month, led from half-way and she asserted coming to the final fence to beat Bandon runner-up M’s Princess by four lengths. The elder Cronin intimated that Pops Choice, the initial racehorse owned by his sister Sheila Crowley from Mallow, is now likely to contest the mares’ hunters chase at Cork on Monday.

Derek O’Connor got on the scoresheet by returning to the coveted number one spot aboard his long-standing ally Pat Doyle’s Silent Steps in the Topline Burtons, Kanturk five-year-old mares’ maiden, much to the consternation of the 20 bookmakers present.

Silent Steps (2/1 – evens), absent since falling at half-way on her only previous outing at Dromahane in late-October, disputed the running with Kayem until going for home from three out. Runner-up Coillte Lass, having arrived from mid-division, went in pursuit from two out but Silent Steps powered clear in the closing stages to beat Debbie Hartnett’s charge by five lengths in the style of a very smart sort.

Doyle indicated that Silent Steps, sporting the familiar silks of Roddy O’Byrne who also started off 1994 Aintree Grand National winner Miinnehoma in points, will now be offered at the Goffs UK sale at Aintree.

1916 Rising

THE Liscarroll racecard came complete with a souvenir cover to commemorate the upcoming centenary of the 1916 rising. The front cover depicted the GPO whilst there was a copy of the proclamation printed on the back. Additionally, 16-year-old Dara Healy sang ‘Amhran Na Bhfiann’ in the parade ring before racing to a round of spontaneous applause.

French sire

IT’S not too often that an Irish-bred son of French sire Martaline wins a maiden, but that’s precisely what occurred in the four-year-old maiden, with the Michelle Gannon-trained Judgement Day newcomer obliging. His owner Frank Tobin, whose wife Ann bred the imposing bay, disclosed: “We went with two mares to be covered in France five years ago. This fellow and a filly were the result. We sold the filly and this fellow will now go to the Goffs UK sale at Aintree next month.”