DAMMA House is a new addition to the fixture list this autumn and is located just five-miles from Kilkenny Town.
It is a relatively flat left-handed track, just under a mile around. While the track itself is quite sharp it proved appears to be a fair course with a good home straight that can accommodate two fences on an uphill finish, it should equate itself even better if ground conditions were more typical of this time of year.
Highgate Hill (4/1-3/1) took the opening Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old maiden for handler Denis Murphy and owner Alan Harte. Having shaped promisingly on his three starts to date, the €45,000 Derby Sale graduate, appeared to relish the front-running tactics to take this contest.
Ridden by Simon Cavanagh who is enjoying a good start to his season, the son of Presenting was bounced out in front and made every post a winning one.
However, his task was not made any easier by a loose horse, who hampered on a number of occasions, before he stayed on well to win by five-lengths from Eaglehill.
“He missed the second last at Portrush the last day and that knocked the stuffing out of him, he will win lots of races. I think he loved that ground, although he was running well at Monskgrange on heavy ground when he fell first time out,” commented the winning handler afterwards of his charge who is in the Cheltenham Sale next week.
Barry O’Neill continued his great start to the season, riding a treble on the day, which brought his tally to 11 for the season so far.
Champion rider for the last two seasons, O’Neill got off the mark for the afternoon in the Goffs five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden aboard Lisronagh Stone (2/1-1/1 favourite).
Always to the fore, the winner was left clear when Vital Sign fell three-out. However, the bay staying on well in the home straight to see-off the rallying Really Radical by over a length.
Owned and trained by Tipperary vet John Halley, whose son Josh was on hand to comment: “He has been fit and well at home, Barry gave him a great ride and we are delighted for the horse to win, hopefully we will sell him now.”
Shawshank (1/1-7/4 joint-favourite) provided O’Neill with the second leg of the treble when taking the Eoin Doyle winner of two. Trained by Paul Nolan, the son of Presenting is a €40,000 August Sale graduate and has now won two of his three starts to date.
SMART-LOOKING
A winner at Castletown on the opening weekend of the season, this smart-looking five-year-old reaffirmed his promise to take this contest in impressive fashion.
Having jumped well, the gelding had pulled well clear of the field with Fullofthesea, who departed at the penultimate obstacle, leaving the winner to power home 15 lengths clear of Sandycove Island.
The winning handler was on hand to say: “I think he is very good, Barry loves him. It was a brave move to run a third time, but he has a lovely attitude and is just learning.
“He will hopefully make a decent price now, as the owners CRB Bloodstock Ltd are aiming to buy and sell.”
The final contest of the day, the Mallwood Ltd six-year-old and upwards maiden saw Barry O’Neill bring up the treble aboard the odds-on favourite Kiera Royale (1/1-5/4 favourite). Trained by the in-form Harry Kelly, who was recording his third winner of the season, the seven-year-old was having her 28th start.
The winner has been unlucky not to lose her maiden tag before now, having being second on five occasions under rules and twice in this sphere. Left clear two-out by the departure of My Forever Friend, the daughter of Beneficial stayed on gamely to win by five lengths from Glorious Ziva.
However, there was a poignant afternote to this success, as the winner was carrying the colours of the late Shelagh Burke who passed away two weeks previously having lived to be over 100.
She was well-known for owning some good horses including Doon Lady. Her son Edward was on hand to explain: “The mare was left to me in the will. We will do whatever Harry thinks is best now, perhaps go for a winners’ race or maybe go back to the track.”
Rob James is another rider who has enjoyed a fine start to the season and the Wexford rider did not leave without a winner, as Remember Jack duly obliged in the Gain five and six year-old mares’ maiden.
Having shown glimpses of promise on her previous five starts, the daughter of Gamut swept through to lead after three-out, but had to battle hard in the closing stages to repel the strong challenge of the runner-up Beliou Le Fume who got to within a length.
Owned and trained by Galway handler David Ryan, who commented afterwards of the five-year-old: “She takes a tonne of work and I think she will come on again from today. I think she will probably go for a winners’ race before we leave her off, as wants good ground.”
Cloudy Morning (6/1-3/1) won on his debut between the flags in the Ballylinch Stud open lightweight for novice riders.
Although new to this sphere, the 10-year-old is no stranger to the winner’s enclosure having won five times under rules. Running in the blue and white colours of Michael O’Donovan, the gelding is trained by Declan Queally, who was riding in the bumper at Cork on the afternoon.
Ridden by Michael Sweeney, the son of Cloudings picked up the running turning in, before staying on gamely to win by a length from Eddies Miracle, who came from a long way back.
The handlers’ father commented in the aftermath: “He is a fun horse and we will pick out another similar type of a contest for him. Michael works for us, and is a good lad so we are delighted to give him a chance.”
HORSE TO FOLLOW
MY FOREVER FRIEND (J. Hanlon): He looked desperately unlucky to fall at the second last in the older maiden when holding the advantage. Seemingly travelling well at the time, he could take a bit of bit in a similar contest under his novice rider.
MICHAEL Sweeney was seen to good effect when booting home Cloudy Morning in the open to record to record his second success. The Cappoquin, Co Waterford native is based with winning handler Declan Queally this season, having previously worked for Denis Ahearn.
The 11-year-old put in a polished riding performance aboard the winner and could be in demand for novice riders contest this season as he has plenty of experience.
THE Kilkenny hunt were in the unenviable position of having to seek a new track in September, in order to stage this fixture. The reason was due to the fact that their traditional venue at Grennan is currently a construction site, as Irish Water are building a new water pumping station on the land. However, it may not actually affect the track itself and when the work is complete, there may be the possibility of returning to Grennan.
LANDOWNERS Niall and Mary Greene very kindly agreed to let the Kilkenny’s stage their autumn fixture on their land having being approached in September. The family are involved in horses, particularly as their son John show jumps.
The new track was well received and a good straight with an uphill finish ensures it’s a fair test.