THE Sam Curling-handled Lite Duties (5/4 - 7/4) may well have put himself in line for a tilt at the Foxhunters at next month’s Cheltenham Festival following his victory in the open-lightweight at last Sunday’s Scarteen Foxhounds meeting in Kilfeacle. Supplementing his recent Aghabullogue success, the 11-year-old dominated from flag fall under Pa King and was always holding the rallying Reigning Supreme in the home straight on his way to a two-and-a-half-length triumph.
“He a very tough staying type of horse that doesn’t actually need to make the running. I think that race there today will work out well. Pa felt there was plenty left in the tank at the finish. It was a really good, staying performance,” commented Curling of Eamon Casey’s charge. “I’ll have a chat with Eamon, but he’s qualified for Cheltenham now and he may go there as we feel it should suit him.”
Reigning Supreme’s handler Pat Doyle has commenced the careers of some top-class performers in recent times and he appears to have unearthed another very nice type in Reality Cheque (2/1 - 4/1) who produced a taking performance to claim the opening five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Drawing clear with main market-rival Pozo Emery after the penultimate obstacle, the Getaway-gelding responded generously to Damien Skehan’s urgings in the home straight to post a five-length victory over Robert Tyner’s Pozo Emery. “We’re thrilled with that. He’s a very nice horse that we really fancied first time out, we thought he would win when he fell but thankfully, he made amends today. He’s a nice horse going forward and he will remain in training with me now,” outlined Holycross-located Pat Doyle.
BARRY Stone was seen to good effect in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden when guiding the John Redmond-owned Annie Day (10/1 - 5/1) to a dominant success. The John Edward Walsh-trained mare was given the office some way from home by Stone before lengthening well in the closing stages to carry the day by 12 lengths. “This mare has really come to herself in the last fortnight and has been knocking her door down every day. She’ll improve even more when she gets good ground, the better the ground the better she’ll be. We’ll offer her for sale now,” remarked Co Wexford-based Walsh.
Concrete King (5/1 - 7/2) has been in terrific form for owner/trainer Seán Allen this season and notched up his third career victory in the winners of three.
Returning to points action following an excellent third-placed effort in a Clonmel maiden hunters chase last month, the front-running gelding ran out a cosy five-length victor under the winning handler’s brother Darragh, who was partnering his seventh winner of the season.
“He did that very well. This soft ground has turned him inside out, the ground was just too quick for him last year. He was super today and we will most likely run him in a winners of three at Kildorrery next,” said three-horse handler Allen.
The Kiernan family from Mullingar, Co Westmeath were on the mark when their Time Leader (1/1 - 4/5 favourite) easily justified favouritism in the concluding older geldings’ maiden. Leading on the approach to the final obstacle under Thomas Geoghegan, the December Dromahane runner-up only had to be kept up to his work late on to defeat fellow market-principal Choctaw Brave by six lengths.
“You’d have to be very pleased with that. He’s a horse with a lovely temperament that is a pleasure to have around the yard. Thomas does everything with him at home so we’re delighted for him too,” reflected winning handler James Kiernan of his wife Brigid’s six-year-old.
Superb effort
The considerable crowd present were treated to a frantic finish in the confined maiden as the John Gleeson-trained Miss Queen Bee (2/1 joint-favourite) prevailed by three-parts of a length from Daicheadacuig. Appearing set for minor honours rounding the final bend when lying in third, the PJ Brislane and John Egan-owned daughter of Scorpion battled back bravely under Derek O’Connor eventually to reel in Brian Mortell’s inmate in the shadows of the post.
“That was a superb effort from Derek. It’s nice for her owners to get their first winner at a local track like this.
“This mare has been coming along nicely with each run and will improve again. We’ll go onto the track with her now,” disclosed Gleeson.
Derek O'Connor with trainer John Gleeson after winning the Confined Hunt Maiden Race with the well backed Miss Queen Bee \ Healy Racing
Horse To Follow
Choctaw Brave (Bernadette Murphy) This Frammassone-gelding posted another admirable effort to chase home Time Leader in the older geldings’ maiden. A similar race should not be long coming his way on the basis of his efforts to date.
MULLINGAR, Co Westmeath-rider Thomas Geoghegan brought his career tally to seven winners aboard short-priced favourite Time Leader in the older geldings’ maiden. Time Leader’s victory serves to highlight Geoghegan’s enduring and successful partnership with the Kiernan family who handle Time Leader, with all of Geoghegan’s six other career winners being on Kiernan family-bred and often-trained horses.