Margie McLoone

THE grey Carrigeen Acebo further enhanced her reputation as the leading mare in the country with a hugely impressive victory in the Wilson Auctions open at Loughanmore on Monday.

Ten of the 11 entries met their engagement in this lightweight which was confined to mares with the Maralin maiden winner, The Sophster, setting out to make all the running. Liz Lalor settled Carrigeen Acebo in second and the 4/7 (from 4/5) favourite was challenged by pointing newcomer St Maxime racing down the back straight for the final time.

Sweeping around to the home turn, the market-leader loomed up on the outside of The Sophster, who could find no more in the home straight, and Carrigeen Acebo surged clear to beat last year’s winner of this race, Maple Mons, by a comfortable 10 lengths.

In the absence of owner and trainer, Anne and Dick Lalor, delighted rider Liz Lalor commented of the home-bred Indian Ruler seven-year-old: “She’s tough out! I dropped my stick on the bottom bend but thankfully it didn’t matter. She’ll keep pointing away.”

FRENCH-BRED

Brian Hamilton saddled the French-bred newcomer Lucky Pass (6/1-5/1) to land the opening Dennison Commericals four-year-old geldings’ maiden in the colours of Nigel Baring.

Lusis Naturea, one of six other debutants in the nine-runner field, made the running at a good clip until bypassing the third last where he was headed by Battleford. Bidding to give landowner Wilson Dennison a winning start to the two-day meeting, the new leader was sent on by Derek O’Connor racing into the bottom bend.

However, Lucky Pass swept to the front as they straightened up for home and was left clear when Battleford fell at the final fence. Under Deckie Lavery, the chesnut passed the post 14 lengths ahead of Barney From Tyanee who stayed on late to snatch second from Jethro.

The runner-up’s trainer, Stuart Crawford, took the following Houstons Coachworks five-year-old mares’ maiden with the Noel McParlan-partnered Mia’s Storm (3-7/2).

Monlough Girl, the only one of the six starters with previous racing experience, made the running and kept plugging away when headed by Mia’s Storm after the second last. Theatre Mole (6/4-5/2) joined that pair soon after and, although, eventually getting the better of the longtime leader by a dozen lengths, the favourite could never reel in Mia’s Storm who won comfortably by half that margin.

The winning September Storm mare is owned by her Moy, Co Tyrone breeder Philip Gilmore who suggested that the 16.3hh bay might go to grass but Crawford said: “We’ll keep her ticking over in case anything suitable comes up.”

COMPENSATION

There was compensation for the connections of Battleford when A Plein Temps (5/2-1/1), who was wearing plenty of sheepskin, landed the Connolly’s Red Mills five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Settled off the pace set by Infantry Soldier, A Plein Temps easily went by the longtime leader after the second last but had to be pushed to close on newcomer Jardin Des Plantes who had taken up the running on landing over that fence. Derek O’Connor’s urgings on the favourite paid off when he joined Jardin Des Plantes jumping the last, and, stayed on well to score by five lengths.

Wilson Dennison’s Alberto Giacometti bay, who is out of a three time-winning Robin Des Champs half-sister to Crystal D’Ainay (by Saint Preuil), is trained at Loughanmore by Colin McKeever

CLOSE FINISHES

There were close finishes in the afternoon’s final two races, particularly the Fleet Financial winners of one where the Neil Gault-ridden Gonal (12/1-8/1) rallied bravely close home to see off Canadian Steel by a neck.

The winner, who led at halfway, did well to score having been badly hampered by the final fence fall of the favourite Ballyoptic (1/2) who was up front throughout. Successful owner/trainer John Bryson said about his Golan gelding: “I’m delighted the horse won. Neil gave him a bloody good ride!”

Graham McKeever matched his father’s success by saddling pointing newcomer Mighty Leader (8/1-6/1) to claim the concluding John Thompson & Sons seven-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden in the hands of Barry O’Neill.

Derek O’Connor suffered a third fall on the day when the 6/4 favourite Merrydown Black, who held a narrow lead at the time, fell three from home.

Cousin Bill took up the running after the next but he was challenged approaching the final fence by both Mighty Leader and Desert Village. The latter soon dropped out of contention and in a dour battle up the long run-in, Mighty Leader got the better of Cousin Bill by a length.

The winner, a seven-year-old Milan gelding who was previously trained by Michael O’Hare, returned to the delighted cheers of his owners, the 40+ strong Ballynure Old Boys Racing Syndicate.