Alan Mahon
THE Mid Antrim Harriers staged their annual spring fixture on Saturday at Loughanmore which was the first year the Co. Antrim track held the meeting by kind permission of the Dennison family. They received the biggest entry for many years in the northern region.
Noel McParlan recorded his 10th winner of the season following a double completed by the Victor McCrea-owned James Boru (5/4 - evens favourite).
The Noel Kelly-trained gelding, bought by current connections for €6,700 at the Tattersalls August National Hunt sale last year, was beaten by a short-head on his debut at Castletown last month but easily gained compensation by justifying market support in the Donnelly and Taggart five-year-old and upwards adjacent maiden.
The Brian Boru gelding accounted for Colin McKeever’s Skyhill and afterwards Kelly reported: “He’s a lovely horse and should come on for that. He will progress to the track and should win plenty of races.”
McParlan initiated his double on his father Sean’s newcomer Drumlee Watar (2/1 – 4/1) in the second division of the Albert Bartlett five and six-year-old gelding’s maiden.
The son of Watar made eye-catching progress behind the leaders and an efficient leap at the penultimate fence saw him reach the head of affairs where he galloped on powerfully to record a 10-length success from Chasing Highs.
Out of a Be My Native mare, he was purchased for €1,000 as a foal at the Goffs December National Hunt Sale. McParlan indicated his winner will now head to the sales.
Donnchadh Doyle’s Diomede Des Mottes (4/1 – 5/1) showed a terrific battling attitude to claim the first division under Rob James.
Second on his previous start here, the son of Kapgarde led for much of the contest and having fenced well throughout held a length advantage at the last. Under a strong drive from James, the chesnut gelding prevailed by a half length from the well-supported favourite Hi Murphy (7/2 - 6/4 favourite).
Doyle commented of his winner, a half-brother to the Willie Mullins-trained listed bumper winner Babylone Des Mottes; “He has improved with each run, we rode him more positively and he stuck it out well to the line. He could run in a winner’s race next.”
The opening division of a three-way divide in the Dennison Commercials Ltd four-year-old maiden went to the Cormac Farrell-trained newcomer Thunderstruck (4/1 – 8/1) under leading novice rider Sean O’Keeffe.
The Edgar Allen-owned gelding mastered the promising Maypole Class and Castle Trump by a length and a neck, staying on powerfully in the closing stages, coming off a strong pace which clocked the fastest time of the day.
Purchased by Bunclody native Allen for €10,000 at the Tattersalls Derby Sale last year the winning owner commented: “We thought he wasn’t quite ready for today but he proved us wrong. He will improve for a summer break and come back an even better horse”. He also indicated the Fame And Glory gelding will head to the sales now.
CHASING
Shane Fitzgerald is chasing O’Keeffe in the novice riders’ title race and he kept the deficit to three winners by claiming the second division of the four-year-old maiden on the Mick Goff-trained Tribesmans Glory (4/1- 5/1).
A €30,000 purchase at the Goffs Land Rover Sale last year, the son of Jeremy led after a circuit following the fall of Mounthill and held off a host of challengers to record a half-length success from Graham McKeever’s newcomer Northern Bound.
Goff, who was recording his sixth winner of the season heaped praise on his jockey Fitzgerald. He reported: “I thought a lot of him coming here today as he was working very well at home. We are delighted with that run today and Shane gave him a great ride. He will head for the sales next.”
The Very Man (4/1 - 5/1) could be destined for big things if his debut performance in the third division of the four-year-old maiden is anything to go by.
Bought for €28,000 at the Tattersalls August National Hunt Sale last year, the Roy Wilson-owned gelding was in 10th at the third last and when asked for an effort from Ben Crawford the Jeremy gelding soon quickened and travelled noticeably well to lead at the last, going on to record an impressive six-length success from the Monbeg Syndicate-owned Jasmin Des Bordes.
Larne-based handler Stuart Crawford said: “He is a serious horse and has plenty of gears. He was unfortunate in Moira making a novicey mistake and was better there today. He is for sale now.”
After running a huge race to chase home A Decent Excuse in open company at Stowlin last month, Longhouse Music (2/1 - 7/4) followed up that promise by defeating Isn’t She Lovely by six lengths in the Dennison JCB Mares Open to provide former champion jockey Derek O’Connor with the second leg of his double.
David Christie’s Corella Creek was sent off the 6/4 favourite following two victories since Easter but she took a crashing fall when in contention at the second last. Winning handler Sam Curling elected the mares open at Ballingarry as a next possible target for Longhouse Music.
PROMISE
The Katie McCarthy-bred Getaway Honey (5/1 - 8/1), a half-sister to nine-time winner Man Of Steel, confirmed the promise of her excellent second-placed debut effort behind subsequent hunter chase winner Mabeywhoknowsmabey at Quakerstown last month in the Doherty Woodshavings five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
Initiating the O’Connor double, the Getaway mare got a good run through on the inner before the last and bounded to a three-length success from the Colin Bowe-trained Go Millie Go.
Winning handler Paurick O’Connor, who was recording his fifth winner of the season commented: “He is owned by a brother of mine Sean and Katie McCarthy. She is a talented mare with lots of ability which she showed today. She will hopefully head to the Doncaster sales now.”
Mark O’Hare, who won four bumpers for Noel Meade in the past week, teamed up with Jerry Cosgrave for success in the second division of the five-year-old and upwards maiden on She Mite Bite (3/1 - 7/2).
Fifth on her debut at Largy last month, the imposing Scorpion mare improved from that effort to return a comfortable winner by 12 lengths from Listentothewoman.
Purchased by Robert Armstrong as a foal for €800 at Tattersalls, the five-year-old is out of hurdle winner That’s Moyne. Cosgrave commented: “She was very green the first day at Largy but she really learned from that today. She could head to the sales now.”
The final race on the card, the McIntyres Tools & Equipment winners of two went the way of the Barry O’Neill-partnered Some Response (6/4 – 5/4 joint-favourite) as the Court Cave gelding extended his winning sequence to three.
Content to wait towards the rear for much of the journey on the Brian Hamilton-trained six-year-old, O’Neill gave his mount the office shortly after the third-last obstacle with the pair drawing clear before the last to record a facile 10-length triumph over Lisnagreggan.
“He is a different horse this year and was very impressive again. We will see how he is and possibly run in the Downpatrick hunter chase or the three winner in Irvinestown,” stated Hamilton.