Alan Mahon
THE Folly in Oldtown Co Dublin was the venue for the Ward Union Hunt point-to-point last Sunday and again it proved to be a successful hunting ground for Jamie Codd as he recorded a double, taking his tally at the course to 10 winners in the last four years.
The first leg of his double was on the Jim Dreaper-trained Grand Jesture (4/6-1/1 favourite) as he ran out a very impressive winner of the Sean Gallagher Lougher Stables open lightweight.
The Gold Well gelding refused to race on his last appearance at Down Royal on St Stephen’s Day, but he started without any trouble and was soon settled by Codd. The result did not look in any doubt as he travelled well, closed on the leading pair on the final circuit and asserted before the last fence to put the race to bed by a distance over No Secrets.
Tom Dreaper commented: “We are delighted with that performance. He behaved much differently today and Nicola Ennis has hunted him every Wednesday and Saturday from Christmas, including yesterday. He has buckets of ability and he is now qualified for the Cheltenham Foxhunter. We will speak to the owners and decide where we will go next.”
Wexford-based Paul Martin Pierce provided Codd with his second winner as his newcomer Princess Of China (4/1-3/1) ran out a ready winner of the ITBA & Gormleys Bar five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
Seeing the track for the first time and although running green towards the finish, the Stowaway mare looks to have a big future ahead of her as she still managed to record a five-length success over the more experienced 4/5 favourite See What.
Princess Of China is a nicely bred sort being out of the three-time winner and Grade 3-placed Flemensfirth mare Handfull Of Euros.
Andy Pierce, brother of trainer Paul remarked: “She is a grand mare and we think a lot of her. She has always shown us a lot at home, we thought she would run a nice race and she will improve for the run. She will go straight to the sales now and I think she will have a big future.”
DEVINE SUCCESS
Finishing placed on his last two outings, Jack Devine 9/2 had his consistency rewarded in the Underwriting Exchange five-year-old geldings’ maiden as he recorded a length success under Ray Barron over the Ted Walsh-trained newcomer Carefully Selected.
The winning Kalanisi gelding, who is owned by Eugene and Geraldine Conlon from Dunleer in Co Louth, is from the same family as multiple Grade 1 winner Sackville and was purchased by current connections for €18,000 at Goffs in June 2015.
Assistant trainer Shane Hassett commented: “He is a good tough horse and jumped like a buck. He has run well all season and he has plenty of ability but ran up against some decent types. We will probably find a winners’ race for him now. The owners are family friends so it was great to see him getting the win and they will hopefully get some more success out of him.”
The owner/trainer partnership of Wilson Dennison and Colin McKeever are renowned for producing high-quality young horses and they won the opening four-year-old maiden of the year with Flemenshill (2/1-4/1).
The Gordon Elliott-trained odds-on favourite Defi Bleu, owned by Gigginstown, was unable to match the turn of foot of the winner before the last, as the Noel McParlan ridden Flemensfirth gelding recorded a four-length victory.
McKeever commented afterwards: “he is a fine big horse and we are very pleased with how he’s done it. He showed no signs of weakness for such a big horse and he showed a professional manner at the business end as he battled on well up the run-in. I think one day he could progress into a graded horse. He is for sale and, if not sold privately, he will go to the sales.”
O’CARROLL SCORES
Larry O’Carroll recorded his first winner of the season and initiated a double on board the locally trained and owned Suas Sios (4/1-7/2) in the Devenish Nutrition winners of two. The Co Kilkenny native was seen to good effect on the Kalanisi gelding, getting the upper hand of Jammin Masters and Michael Stenson in a thrilling finish.
Owned by the Ward Union hunt whipper-in Kieran Ryan, he was last seen over Christmas in Limerick finishing fourth behind impressive winner and possibly Cheltenham bound Sweet As a Nut.
Winning handler Patrick Rooney, who trains on land adjacent to the track, commented: “He’s a consistent horse and is a proper genuine sort. He is only filling out into himself now and is stronger this year. His next target could be a maiden hunter chase at Downpatrick.”
O’Carroll completed his double in the final The Considine Family-sponsored older geldings’ maiden on board the well-supported favourite Captain CJ (6/4-1/1 favourite).
Acquired only a few weeks ago and running for the first time in the colours of Ratoath-based Fidelma O’Toole, the Westerner gelding had two placed efforts to his name. The contest never looked in doubt as he travelled best throughout the race and was simply a class above his rivals on this occasion.
Winning handler Dermot McLoughlin, who also trained the second placed horse, said: “He’s a really nice horse and he done that very easily. He will probably go for a winners’ race next.”
Captain CJ is out of the dual hurdle winner She’s So Dainty and from the same family as the 12-time and graded winner She’s Our Mare.
‘King of The Folly’
THE main race of the day for the local spectators was the Ward Union Members and Subscribers Hunt Race. Eleven runners went to post alongside the pacemaker grey, ridden by Paul Carberry. As the pacemaker gave way before the third last, the odds-on favourite The New Blackie, ridden by the ‘King of Bellewstown’ Peter Reynolds, had strong challengers in John Bobbett on Fleenstown Finn and Cathy O’Leary on Finbar.
The favourite ultimately recorded a three-length victory from John Bobbett, with Cathy O’Leary a further two lengths back in third, to become ‘King of The Folly’.