Susan Scott

FRESH from her success at Cork on Friday evening aboard Emily Moon in the mares’ bumper, Kate Harrington enjoyed a red letter day as a handler as Story Of Friends (5/1) took the first division of the Goffs UK Spring Sale four-year-old-maiden. The son of Kingsalsa who pulled up on his debut at Loughanmore in March, was bought by his handler for €27,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland Derby sale.

Waited with in rear by Ben Crawford, the progressive gelding travelled well over the final half a mile where he progressed to dispute the lead at the final fence and quickened well on the run-in to win by two and a half lengths over Onthefrontfoot.

A delighted Harrington commented: “I am thrilled with that. I always thought a good bit of him. I ride him out before I start in the yard each day so to get my first winner makes it all worthwhile. He is for sale now.”

TREBLE

Barry O’Neill extended his lead in the riders’ championship having registered a treble at the Co Galway fixture and was unlucky not to have four winners on the board. The Wexford native appeared to be travelling comfortably in the second division of the Goffs UK Spring Sale four-year-old-maiden aboard Pistol Whipped only to slip up on the bend on the run to the final fence which paved the way for the Denis Murphy-owned and trained Manofthemoment (6/1) to produce a winning debut.

The son of Jeremy, who was purchased for €15,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland August sale, progressed to dispute the lead at the final fence with the eventual runner-up Barrowlands and responded well under a strong drive from the leading novice rider this season, Sean O’Keeffe who is three winners clear in this category. “He did it well today. He was always travelling comfortably and Sean gave him a great spin. That is actually the first time he has ridden for me,’’ commented the winning handler.

The Jim Dreaper-trained Cavite Beta (9/2) provided O’Neill with his opening success of the afternoon in the Galway Race Committee open, on what was the 12-year-olds fifth point-to-point success. A winner at Dowth Hall in October, the son of Old Vic who carries the colours of the Beta Chance Syndicate, travelled well throughout and made good progress over the final half a mile where he was produced to lead at the final fence and returned home the two length winner over Samnntom.

“He is a great servant to have in the yard and is a proper fun horse. He is owned by a local syndicate who all live in the village beside us so we will keep him pointing for the remainder of the season before he gets a holiday for next year,” reported the winning handlers son Tom.

PILLAR TO POST

Onthefrontfoot’s rider Rob James did not have to wait too long for a winner as he secured a pillar to post victory aboard the Colin Motherway-trained Ain’t My Fault (7/4 favourite) in the Tattersalls Ireland & Equilume five-and-six-year-old geldings’ maiden. This was the son of Beneficials third run this spring with his most recent run coming at Dromahane in April when he was fourth.

Owned by the winning handler’s wife, Linda, Ain’t My Fault was strongly challenged by the Marshal Watson-trained Frankly All Talk after the final fence but found for pressure to secure a three-length win.

“We were waiting for nicer ground and he seemed to enjoy that today. He is a lovely horse who I bought at the Derby sale two years ago. It was a three and a half hour drive up for us but the journey home will feel a bit shorter. He will go to one of the sales now.”

Rob James was on the scoreboard again in the ITBA five-year-old-upwards mares’ maiden when he steered the Ross O’Sullivan-trained Agent Valdez (3/1) to success on her second time of asking in the colours of O’Sullivan’s sister, Robyn.

The daughter of Arvico had finished fourth at Dromahane in April and attempted to make all in the 10-runner contest until she was headed on the run to the final fence by the debutant Eva Black who pulled clear of the field but unfortunately came to grief at the final obstacle which paved the way for the five-year-old who came home three lengths in front of Ciara’s Cara.

Winninghandler O’Sullivan was absent on the day as he had runners at Cork and Stradbally but Jamie Codd the winning owners husband stated: “She is a nice well-bred mare who has taken a bit of time. She was bought by Ross as a three-year-old and will go to the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham sale on May 31st. If she is not sold she will then got for a bumper.”

DOUBLE

Three Loud Knocks (6/1) provided Barry O’Neill with his second winner of the day in the Leah Haggarty Clark MH winners of two. The son of Mahler was a winner already this season at Turtulla in November and finished third at Ballysteen in April for his owner, William Hanly.

The six-year-old took up the lead on the run to the last and was locked in a battle with the fast finishing Owl Creek Bridge which resulted in a photo finish where only a head separated the pair. Brian Mortell, winning handler indicated that his charge would remain point-to-pointing if he was not sold before the end of the season.

Chosen Flame (13/8 favourite) was one of two favourites to oblige on the day following his success in the Glenman Corporation adjacent maiden race for five-year-old-and-upwards for his local handler Martin Cullinane, who also bred and owned the son of Well Chosen. The six-year-old, who was third at Ballysteen in April, chased the long-time leader, Make The Mostofit until the leader came to grief at the third last fence where he then took over the lead and held off the challenge of Family Man to win by three lengths and in doing so supply his rider, Barry O’Neill with his third winner of the afternoon.

“He’s a grand horse and is better than that. He will probably be sold now,” said winning handler Cullinane.

Score board

Story Of Friends, winner of the first division of the four-year-old maiden, supplied his sire Kingsalsa with his first Irish point-to-point winner from just three winners. The former Group 3 winning stallion who stood at Haras De Victot in France, was also on the score board at Dawstown with Caracara Mail who won the six-year-old-upwards maiden for the Jonathan Sweeney yard.

Local stallion Fracas, who stands at Cahermorris Stables in Corrandulla, Co Galway, was just denied his first point-to-point winner when his charge, Frankly All Talk finished runner-up in the geldings maiden. The Group 2 winning stallion has produced another interesting recruit with the Jim Bolger-trained Smash Williams who was a Group 3 winner in August 2015 and now holds an entry in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Ascot in June.