CHAMPION jockey Barry O’Neill rode a double at Moira on Saturday, and it started with the Andrew Latta-trained newcomer, Hes Rockin, in the five-year old geldings’ maiden. The son of Shirocco, who is related to plenty of track performers, was always prominent in the hands of O’Neill. He made his move at the final fence to challenge the leaders where a quick jump sealed the race for R.C.A. Latta.
It was a taking performance on debut by the winner, who looks set to go onto achieve much bigger things on the track. O’Neill said: “He’s a smart horse. It was a big ask to do it around here with 14 runners. We fancied him coming here and he’s a very nice horse for the future. He’ll go to the sales now.”
Second win
O’Neill sealed his double in the concluding contest, the mares’ winners-of-two contest, where recent Ballingarry scorer Navy Girl recorded the second win of her life for owner Rebecca Surman. This daughter of Westerner is improving at a rate of knots and she won as she liked here on just her third outing to beat an admittedly weak field.
However, she looked a class apart as O’Neill smoothly moved her to the front turning for home and from that point, it was never in doubt. She was noticeably quick at her fences which should stand her in good stead for a future campaign on the track.
“She’s a very smart filly. The owners probably wanted to go to the sales but this race popped up in the meantime so we said we’d take our chance and she won as she liked. I’d say she’ll go to the sales now,” said O’Neill of the Colin Bowe-trained mare.
Exceptional jumping from talented Dreams Of Home
THE four-year-old maidens are always worth keeping a close eye on with regards to future graded performers and we may have seen another one here with the Donnchadh Doyle-trained Dreams Of Home who put in an exceptional round of jumping to score on his debut for the Monbeg Syndicate.
In the hands of Rob James, the son of up-and-coming sire Jet Away, led from flag fall and wasn’t for catching. He jumped like a buck and had this field well strung out throughout. The half-brother to Minellacelebration battled on well from the back of the last to score by a length.
James commented: “He’s a lovely horse. He was a little bit in my hands for the first while, but he settled away grand then. He jumped like a buck everywhere. He winged the second last, quickened away down the hill, winged the last and just galloped to the line. He’s a good staying horse with a big engine. He’ll probably be sold now.”
The open contest looked to be Marinero’s for the taking after his impressive opening day success at Ballingarry but he couldn’t keep tabs on all-the-way winner, Mount Colah, and eventually finished third.
The aforementioned Mount Colah, a winner for the father and son team of Sean and Noel McParlan, led from the drop of the flag and it never looked in doubt as he had his field under pressure on the turn for home. In the end, he won by a comfortable five lengths.
Lead horse
The winning rider said: “He did it well. Last year, we just couldn’t get him right. Thomas Walsh, who’s looking down on us now, he gave him to me after he was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago. He asked me to look after him for the rest of his days. You would think every morning on the gallop that he’s a three-year old. He just loves galloping and jumping. He felt as good as ever today. We’ll keep him point to pointing. We use him as a lead horse at home.”
THE second race of the day, the five and six-year old mares’ maiden, was by far the most dramatic, as the Paddy Turley-trained Lecale Lass looked to be set for victory heading down to the last. However, the loose Miss Us O, came across the leader and carried her across the track before she eventually unshipped Declan Lavery.
That left the door open for Call Me Merry and Jackie Daniels to battle it out, with the former coming out on top. It was a deserved success for the Paul Cashman-trained daughter of Sholokhov, owned by Catherine Cashman, who had finished third at Oldcastle three weeks ago.
Winning rider Michael O’Sullivan said: “She’s a grand mare, she was going to win a mares’ maiden. Obviously, Paddy Turley’s mare was unlucky with the loose horse running across her at the top bend but, at the same time, I still felt I was running on after her. She stayed on very well. She just needed the run in Oldcastle but she jumps and stays and that’s all you want. I imagine she will be sold. If not, she will go for a winners’ race.”
Novice riders
The older maiden on the day was confined to novice riders and it went the way of last year’s joint-champion under-21 rider Ben Harvey on the Brian Hamilton owned and trained Merrion Avenue. He was having his first run for 538 days so it was a great training performance by Hamilton to have him ready to win on his comeback.
“He’s a lovely horse. He gallops away really well. I was kind of conscious not to get there too soon because I was travelling really well there at the top of the hill. Bar a little peck on landing at the last, he did it well. I’d say they’ll have no problem winning a winners with him,” said Harvey.
Horse to follow
Lecale Lass (P.E Turley): After finishing second on her debut at Necarne a fortnight ago, the daughter of Shantou looked set to go one better here before being carried across the track by a loose here and eventually unseating her jockey.