Margie McLoone

TRAINER Colin McBratney may have a difficult task keeping his three open horses apart this season but four-time track winner Sole Witness had no trouble in landing his first point-to-point for the yard at Toomebridge last Saturday.

Initiating a double for rider Noel McParlan, Frances Savage’s 10-year-old Witness Box gelding made virtually all the running in the seven-runner Doherty & Gray Meats lightweight.

The Hard Hat threw down a challenge racing across the back straight for the final time but was done with down the hill while Sole Witness (1/1-1/2) stayed on strongly to see off Nodforms Violet by four lengths.

“He did it well,” said McBratney of the winner who was also despatched as favourite when beaten five lengths into second by James at Maralin two weeks previously. “He jumps well and loves that ground. He could go for the hunters’ chase at Down Royal over Christmas.”

Former regional champion McParlan brought up his double in the following Enviro Care NI winners of two on the 9/4 favourite Take It Too who had claimed his maiden at the Iveagh Foxhounds’ meeting earlier in the month.

This was an eventful race with two of the seven runners, Our Knight and Patsy Fox, departing at the first, Rollininthedeep falling at the same fence with a circuit to travel and Francie Gwynne also falling two fences later.

Second at this stage, Take It Too joined Drum Bay on his outer as they turned into the back straight. A better jump at the third last saw the longtime leader regain the initiative and he turned into the home straight over two lengths up on the market leader.

Making his bid on the inside, Take It Too was on terms again at the final fence and stayed on the better uphill to score by two lengths. “He is in such good form that we will keep going with him,” said owner/trainer John Taylor of his winning Deploy gelding. “Soft ground is a must, although, while I was hoping for rain, I wasn’t expecting as much as we got!”

Jamie Codd also recorded a double, getting off the mark for the weekend in the McBurney Transport five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden on the Aidan Fitzgerald-trained Murphys Filly (9/4).

Second on her previous three starts, the Flemensfirth six-year-old was settled off the pace set by the free-running Howwouldsheno who, once again, lost a considerable amount of ground by jumping to her right. The leader had come back to her field starting the final circuit but was still in front when slipping up after the fifth last.

Murphys Filly was left disputing the lead at this stage with the long absent Serena Circle but got the better of that argument before the turn for home. The favourite then had to withstand a late challenge from the last by pointing newcomer Gem And I but did so by a comfortable two lengths.

“She’s going to Colin Bowe now to be trained for the track and will go straight over fences,” said Bunclody owner-breeder Brendan Murphy of his winner who is out of an own-sister to Nil Desperandum. “I have a Beneficial two-year-old out of the dam and her yearling by Olden Times.”

Builder Shane Gault, who trains on a DIY basis out of Ben Arthey’s yard, saddled his first winner when the Codd-partnered Mister To Mister (4/1) landed the concluding Convery Trailers six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Joining Cousin Bill (4/5) on his inner five from home, Mister To Mister took up the running as the favourite erred at the fourth last (also at the next) and, kept up to his work in the home straight, saw off the McParlan-ridden Sarsfields Legend by three lengths.

“He’s a very honest horse,” said Gault of his winning six-year-old who was bred by Sweet Wall Stud, once home of his sire, Posidonas, out of the unraced Mandalus mare Gothic Shadow. Mister To Mister is a half-brother to the dam of Shadow Eile and Corskeagh Royale.

Rob James won the opening Dennison Commercials four-year-old maiden on the twice previously-raced Kilcullen Flem (3/1) who disputed much of the early running, and the finish, with local hope Areema (5/2 favourite).

The latter held a slight lead over his rival going out on the final circuit with newcomer Yorkhill poised to deliver his challenge in third. Sent up on the outside of Areema at the fourth last, Yorkhill looked to be going the better approaching the second last but his claiming rider got slightly unbalanced here and the horse went inside a doll, losing his partner in the process.

Getting a renewed effort out of Kilcullen Flem down the inner, James had his mount back on terms with Areema at the last and, in spite of lugging right up the run-in, the Flemensfirth chesnut kept on for pressure to score by a neck.

“He’s a grand big horse who gallops and jumps,” said James of the Monbeg Syndicate’s winner whose trainer, Donnchadh Doyle, was an absentee. “He improved a lot since the last day and will probably go to the sales.”

James was denied a double when Johnny Creswell, who failed to partner a winner last season, landed the Sperrin Metal five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Infrontofthejudge (5/2 joint favourite).

Having his first outing of the campaign, the Clerkenwell bay disputed the running from halfway with Clondaw Frisby who he had tracked throughout. There was nothing between the pair at the last but, on the outer, Infrontofthejudge stayed on the stronger to record a four-length success.

Speaking on behalf of absent trainer James Lambe, Nicole McKenna said that they had expected the horse to win as his last piece of work had been very good. Dungannon owner-breeder Martin Abernethy intimated that Infrontofthejudge would now be sold.