SHANE Fitzgerald and Mick Goff have formed a formidable partnership over the past five years, one that has taken 22-year-old Fitzgerald to consecutive under-21 titles in 2017 and 2018. It was fitting that the pair combined to record their respective 50th winners when they shared a double, initiated by the victory of Leac An Scail Lady in the four-year-old mares’ maiden.
Owned by The Chancers Syndicate, which includes the two-time Kilkenny All-Ireland winning hurler Liam McCarthy, the daughter of Masterofthehorse made all to defeat Caoimhe Lady by two lengths in a success which brought Fitzgerald to his milestone 50th winner.
“It is a brilliant bunch of lads that are involved, and I am absolutely over the moon for them. They are the most decent and genuine people that you could come across. She jumps, she stays and when I say she absolutely loves the game, she loves it,” said the Wexford handler who was joined for the celebrations by his 10-year-old son Oisin who had played a big part in her preparations having ridden out the mare each morning during his summer holidays.
Better jumper
It was then the turn of Mick Goff, famed for producing the Grade 2 winner Bun Doran to win his maiden point, to reach the 50-winner mark when American Legacy ran out a three-length victor of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Sporting the colours of the victorious handler’s wife Caitriona, the notable 50th success came just under seven years after Goff sent out his first winner at Curraheen in late 2013, with Fitzgerald aboard for 39 of them.
Of this latest winner Goff remarked: “He is probably one of the better jumpers you will find, and I would say that he has a bright future. He is a typical bumper horse and relishes that ground out there.”
THE Oldcastle card also proved to be a notable one for Downpatrick-based Jay Gibney, as the success of Dento Des Obeaux was his first in both roles. The 21-year-old, who had not ridden between the flags since April 2017, positioned the strong-travelling grey towards the fore in what was a rare winner-of-one to be confined to novice riders.
Despite the large 16-runner field, the French-bred son of Balko returned untroubled to defeat Donnchadh Doyle’s Texas Gold by four lengths and follow up his Kirkistown maiden success from last February.
“I hadn’t ridden in a while. I rode a couple of years ago and then went over to England for a stint, but my weight picked up and I wasn’t going to go conditional. I came back home and stopped riding for a while and then went into Colin McBratney and he got us this horse,” said Gibney who has a hunter chase at Downpatrick later in the season in mind the for the grey, owned by his father Liam.
Compensation for Doyle came in the form of his opening winner of the season when Fable ran out a wide-margin winner of the five-year-old mares’ maiden under Rob James.
Having shown a likeable attitude to overhaul the always prominent Dazzling Glory on the climb up the hill, the Monbeg Syndicate-owned Coastal Path mare was then allowed to return 12 lengths clear of Cloneyhurke Maid when her main rival exited at the last. She could now contest a winners’ race if not sold beforehand.
Ronnie rocks on debut
ROCKSTAR Ronnie, one of just two newcomers to contest the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, left a notable impression when he ran out a comprehensive winner at the first time of asking for the long-standing partnership of Richie Deegan and Aidan Fitzgerald.
Always to the fore, the Cobajay Syndicate-owned gelding began to his get rivals under pressure at the foot of the climb, and ultimately accounted for stable debutant Brayhill by a very comfortable six lengths at the line.
“That’s a brilliant start to the season. He is a lovely horse and Richie (Deegan) gave him a good ride. He was the one horse that we really fancied coming into the weekend so that was great. He will go to the sales now,” said the Carlow handler who has 30 horses to run this autumn.
Way prevails
That proved to be one of two winners on the card for the late Stowaway, as Diegos Way then went on to record a long overdue victory in the older maiden.
The Robinstown Stables Partnership-owned seven-year-old had fallen two-out while holding a seemingly unassailable advantage at Knockmullen House back in February, and he bounced back from a below par display at Punchestown most recently to get by the better of the track returnee Michael’s Pick by four lengths under Cork rider John Barry.
“He deserved that; he was unlucky a few times but we always knew he would win one of those races. He will probably go for a winner-of-one now and will end up going hunter chasing too,” said former rider turned handler Cian Collins of what is one of 12 horses that he has under his care at his yard in Robinstown, Co Meath.
Horse to follow
Ballyearl (Ms C. McCaldin): This son of Yeats had failed to trouble the judge in three previous outings. However, on this first start for a new yard, he travelled eye-catchingly well along the back straight before just being run out of second on the run-in.
AHEAD of the fifth race, the reigning champion rider Barry O’Neill voiced the appreciation of all within the point-to-point community for the excellent work of the Ballymacad Foxhounds when he spoke over the PA from the centre of the parade ring. O’Neill added to the widespread praise of the committee’s efforts to hold the event in a safe manner in line with the IHRB’s extensive protocols and also their work in producing perfect ground conditions.