Richard Pugh

CASTLETOWN

GEOGHEGAN

WITH the postponements of Rathcannon and Toomebridge it was an eastern fixture which saw the season get underway with the Westmeath Foxhounds raising the first white flag at Castletown Geoghegan.

There is an expression in racing that the winner would have ‘gone around again’ such was the ease of a certain performance. This is exactly what happened in the opener last Sunday as Jack Steel (7/1) won the opening four-year-old maiden.

Declan Queally set out to make the running on this son of Craigsteel who had a very promising previous outing at Lisronagh last season when finishing fourth. Jumping the second last here Derek O’Connor aboard Ballykan looked the only likely danger but in truth was never likely to close the gap and a fast jump at the last ensured Jack Steel won well although he did peck a stride after the last.

It was a well-judged front-running ride from Queally as this race was not run in a fast time for a race of its kind and he was able to dictate affairs to suit his mount which proved crucial.

Having gone past the line Queally found his mount making his way into the back straight and continued another full circuit before returning to the winner’s enclosure.

Shane Hassett was representing his uncle Martin who trained this winner and noted that the winner would now be sold or otherwise could take in a bumper in the interim.

Twelve months ago on the opening weekend Derek O’Connor and Jamie Codd fought out a very tight finish at Rathcannon with Codd coming out on top and it proved an indicator for the season ahead while the photograph of the two was often used to show the tight battle the two enjoyed.

On this occasion the opening weekend battle between the two came in the five and six-year-old mares maiden and this time O’Connor came out on top by a length and a quarter aboard the Michael Hourigan-trained Show Me The Monkey (4/1).

The winner runs in the colours of the trainer’s daughter Kay and the five-year-old daughter of Old Vic was making her points debut having had eight runs on the track including finishing fifth in a Thurles maiden hurdle last November.

In the winners of two race, Don Atkinson took the honours by half a length aboard Out Of The Way (7/1).

He made much of the running and from two out was holding the challenge of Knowhentofoldem who was also close to the pace throughout for Ciaran Fennessy while Subtitle stayed on well for third.

The winner took a confined maiden at Bennettsbridge last year but has since shown bits of form including when 15 length behind Tammys Hill in a Ballindenisk open.

Atkinson is the senior rider of the weighing room having ridden as early as 1978 in point-to-points before most of the riders competing in this race were born.

This winner is trained by Adrian Hickey who is a brother of Cork rider Martin and the winner is owned by the winning rider’s brother Graham.

Eoin O’Sullivan took the five and six-year-old maiden and he was only born in 1996 all of 14 years after Atkinson was first riding in points. O’Sullivan hit the ground running in his first season with seven winners and with a winner here on the opening day, he is a stand out candidate for this season’s novice riders’ title even at this early stage.

His mount Gowanouthat (6/1) had not completed on his three previous starts in points but had been eighth in a Killarney hurdle in May.

The son of Golan ran on strongly to beat Concert Night and Bluebyyou by eight lengths and 12 lengths respectively and was an opening winner of the season for his father Eugene who trains the gelding.

In the open lightweight there was a surprise winner when the Ciaran Murphy trained and Dot Love-owned Loughnagall (10/1) won impressively by seven lengths.

This 11-year-old son of Lord Americo was once a 116-rated chaser having won a beginners chase at Killarney in 2012. He went on three out here and Galloping Gander, Ross Na Righ (second) and Sebadee who had always been ridden close up, could not match the stamina of the winner.

Connections had only purchased this winner three weeks earlier and he had been out of form for some time having failed to complete in six of his seven starts.

He showed a return to best form here and will be sent on a campaign over the banks from here.

It was a welcome success for Aaron Murphy who is now based with his brother Ciaran at their yard in Mullingar.

Eoin O’Sullivan could have hoped for a double before the last race as his mount Wilsaviour was one of the market leaders but he proved very difficult going to post and was subsequently withdrawn.

This race was arguably over jumping the first as Serious Times (8/1) and Nile O’Rourke raced into a clear lead. After a circuit they were still a distance clear and by three out it became apparent that none of his rivals were capable of reeling him in.

Peter Maher trains this winner for Helen Clarke McKeon, and he eventually came home 15 lengths clear of his rivals for a comfortable success. The son of Danetime had run as a two-year-old in Roscommon.

Hoods gets off to a head start

The opening four-year-old maiden race saw two runners make use of the new rule which allows horses to wear a hood which shows the demand amongst handlers for this type of equipment.

Hunt benefits from double entry

Out Of The Way who took the winners race was the first horse to make use of the new rule allowing more than one entry at a fixture as he also held an entry in the open lightweight but chose the correct option and won while also contributing a valuable extra €50 to the Hunt which is what the rule was designed to achieve.

Climbing to a point success

Having had his first ride in point to points in 1978 this was Don Atkinson’s 37th season riding in point to-points. He reported that he went up Carrauntoohil a week earlier to keep up his fitness in preparation and still enjoys race riding as much as ever.