THE South Westmeath hunt returned to Umma House last Sunday after the success of their inaugural fixture there last year and they were rewarded with a good turnout, with 48 runners across the six-race card, the highest of the weekend’s three fixtures.
It was the Pat Doyle stable that stole the show on the day, courtesy of a double that kickstarted with the ultra-impressive four-year-old, O’Moore Park (2/1 - 6/4 favourite), in the hands of Pa King.
The son of Walk In The Park was given the office by King before the fourth last and from there, he extended away to win by an impressive eight lengths over the Colin Bowe-trained and James Kenny-ridden Bourbon N Kentucky.
The winner is owned by Michael Fitzpatrick, who is a big supporter of Laois hurling, and that is where the winner’s name comes from.
Winning handler Doyle was absent but his daughter and current amateur rider Susie, said: “He was very good there. He jumped and travelled lovely, we’ve always really liked him. He’s a nice, forward horse who has always done everything right at home.”
The double was completed for Doyle when Samanntom (2/1 - 9/4) and his aforementioned daughter Susie, came out on top in a thrilling three-way finish to the open.
The admirable 13-year-old challenged the long-time leader Some Are Lucky at the second last and they had a long battle up the home straight with the son of Portrait Gallery eventually prevailing by a head. Snugsborough Benny and Harry Swan were a further half a length back in third.
The winner, carrying the colours of the rider’s mother Mary, was recording the 10th win of his career between the flags.
Battled
“I’m delighted for the horse! He’s 13, rising 14, and he has never once let me down. He battled the whole way there to the line. He loves it,” said a delighted winning rider. “We can’t ride him out with anything, he’s just as fresh as ever at home. He’s a yard favourite!
“I have to thank my brother Jack, because he did a lot of work with him this year getting him fit. That’s 11 winners for me now and I’ve just finished college so I’ll give it a kick this year now.”
The slowest race on the card was the concluding hunt winners’ race but it produced one of the better finishes on the afternoon with Beyond Redemption (1/1 - 4/5 favourite) and Georgie Benson for the Peter Flood yard, coming out on top by a length and a half from Mick Mixy and Patricia Newman.
The winner, who was an unlucky final-fence faller at Oldcastle on the opening day of the season, hit the front after the last to collar the Tom Geoghegan-trained Mick Mixy on the run-in. The winner was carrying the colours of the handler’s mother, Teresa.
“It’s great to get Georgie a winner. We don’t have as many older ones as we’d like but it’s great to get her a winner,” commented the winning handler. “She came back from England during the summer and she rides out a few days with us and a few days in Gordon’s.
“He was unfortunate in Oldcastle. We might get one more run out of him somewhere and then leave him off until the spring, maybe in a ladies’ open.”
SUSIE Miller (1/1 - 6/4 favourite) had the standout piece of form in the mares’ maiden and she duly obliged in comfortable fashion in the hands of Derek O’Connor.
The Sam Curling-trained and Ann Cahalan-owned daughter of Westerner never looked in danger as she made all for a four-length success over the Simon Cavanagh-ridden Good As Hell.
“She was entitled to do that on her run when she was second at Tipperary. I shouldn’t have ran her in the bumper. I’m delighted for the owners who have been good and patient with her,” said Curling.
“She’ll probably go for a mares’ winners’ race as she’s still a bit babyish and gassy.”
The opening four-year-old mares’ maiden saw 10 runners face the starter and it was the Michael Goff-trained and Aaron Sinnott-ridden Valencia Borget (3/1 - 8/1), who ran out easy 12-length winners over the Colin Bowe-trained Dime Store Cowgirl.
The winner, who is owned by Caitriona Goff, made a bad mistake at the fourth last but Sinnott did brilliantly to pick her back up and the pair went on to score in impressive fashion.
“She’s a smashing mare and I don’t know how he managed to keep her up at the fourth last! She jumps, travels and stays and that is what all good mares do.
“My son Oisín, who is only 11, does everything with her at home – she’s absolutely bombproof. He loves her and she’s dynamite to jump,” said a delighted Goff.
IT’S rare that you leave a meeting these days without a ‘Doyle’ trained winner and it was Donnchadh’s turn on Sunday to bag his first winner of the current campaign, courtesy of Silver Flyer (6/4 - 5/2 joint-favourite), in the five- and six-year old geldings’ maiden.
The son of Malinas had yet to complete in two prior starts but he showed good improvement here to win by four lengths from the Brian Lawless-ridden Theultimatepackage.
The winner carries the colours of the Monbeg Syndicate and he also provided Pearse Rogan with his first winner of the season.
Eoin Doyle, representing the winning handler, said: “He’s a lovely horse. His form is not really what he is. He was unlucky the first day when he was going to be second in Cork. He’ll probably go to the sales now.”
Horse to follow:
Tyre Kicker (S. Curling): The son of Network was having his first start between the flags here after finishing seventh in a Punchestown bumper in April, and he stayed on well to finish a never-nearer third. This experience should do him the world of good.