THE Westmeath Foxhounds could not have hoped for much better weather conditions when staging their annual spring meeting at Castletown-Geoghegan, as they were treated to a glorious spring afternoon.

The large crowds that the weather brought out created a fine atmosphere and they were treated to a number of thrilling finishes throughout the afternoon as Barry O’Neill sealed a treble to headline the card.

O’Neill, who finished off the afternoon on the 47-winner mark for the season, kicked off his afternoon aboard the Colin Bowe-trained Caher Rose Den (3/1 - 4/1), who was easy to back before the off.

Having been last seen finishing fourth behind subsequent impressive bumper winner Tullyhill at Moira, this looked to be a far easier task on paper.

Always positioned prominently throughout, the son of Soldier Of Fortune put his previous experience to good use jumping professionally throughout.

Held chances

Several horses still held chances heading to the last, but he galloped resolutely to the line to fend off the challenge of Lough Owel by two and a half lengths.

“That was a good maiden that he ran in the last day, we gave him a good break and he got stronger,” Bowe said. “He will head to the Aintree sale now, that’s the plan.”

Only three runners headed to post for the open lightweight with Bold Enough (2/5 - 4/7 favourite) hoping to complete a hat-trick this season following his two previous successes in Kirkistown for handler David Christie.

This talented son of Jeremy who was once trained by Henry de Bromhead, was simply in a different league compared to his opposition, as he produced a flawless round of jumping throughout, taking lengths out of his rivals at each fence.

Sporting the silks of Ray Nicholas, he had the race sewn up a long way from home and ultimately crossed the line seven lengths clear of Aloneamongmillions.

“It was only a school for him, we went steady and he’s loads of gears. He jumped immaculately,” O’Neill stated.

Treble up

The champion rider brought up his treble in the older geldings’ maiden courtesy of I See You Now (1/1 - 5/4 favourite), completing a double in the process for David Christie.

Producing one of the most thrilling finishes of the afternoon, the Kieran Mahon and Noel Keenan-owned son of Telescope was forced to dig deep all the way to the line to fend off the persistent challenge of Shaffrey’s Hill to score by a neck.

The winner showed little signs of being inconvenienced by the quick turnaround having finished second in Portrush the previous weekend and justified the quick the decision to run him just eight days later.

“He’s a tough horse, he was a bit unfit last week in Portrush and got a good blow into him. He will improve again now from that, he found the ground very sticky out there, he will go into winners’ company now I would say,” O’Neill said.

THE opening contest on the card a four-year-old maiden went the way of the Gordon Elliott-trained Trim Castle (6/4 - 5/2).

A big imposing son of Well Chosen who has the physique to develop into a fine chaser in time, the chesnut, who is out of a half-sister to the high class Sizing Granite, always sat close to the pace and travelled sweetly in the hands of Harry Swan.

Once asked to put the race to bed, he swiftly scooted into a five-length advantage approaching the last and went on to defeat Sixmilebridge by five lengths for owners Camilla Sharples and Simon McGonagle.

“He’s a big weak horse that probably wants a summer’s grass. He jumped well there today and Harry gave him a great ride and he probably didn’t do much when he got to the front,” commented Elliott. “Simon and Camilla own him so he’s for sale, but we will be wanting to keep him in the yard.”

Deserved success

The Heather Kiernan-trained Cappajune Lady (2/1) sealed a deserved success in the adjacent winners’ race in what proved to be a poignant success as the race was run in memory of Kiernan’s late father Frankie, and she received the warmest of welcomes from the large local crowd that were in attendance when she returned to the winner’s enclosure.

The complexion of the race changed dramatically at the first as the short-priced favourite Iron Allen exited and from there Eoghan Finnegan guided the Mark Davies-owned nine-year-old to a five and a half-length defeat of Knockiel Synge. “That wouldn’t have been her ground, but she travelled and jumped,” Kiernan said. “She loves this course, she has always been consistent here and it’s great to win the hunt cup in memory of my father.”

Melleray win means much

THE Mick Goff-trained Melleray Hill (3/1 - 4/1) took the mares’ maiden as the daughter of Kingston Hill prevailed by a short-head to deny Emily’s Choice and what would have been a four-timer on the card for Barry O’Neill.

Having tracked the leaders in third, the bay took closer order as they rolled down the hill heading to the last, and with a wall of four horses all holding chances, she responded best to Darragh Higgins’ efforts in the saddle.

“That is brilliant, it means the world to us now, Niall Hennessy and I own her, he’s my neighbour down home and we have her in training with Mick,” Mikey Sweeney said.

“We gave her a prep run last month just a run around really to get her right for today, we knew she had a great chance and we were very confident coming here today that she wouldn’t be beaten. She will head to the sales now.”

Sixmilebridge (R. James) - Having raced in mid-division for much of the contest, this son of Affinisea made significant progress late on and hit the line powerfully on what was effectively his debut following a first-fence departure at Lingstown in March. He will be hard oppose next time out.