LOCAL handler Pat Doyle has combined with owner Walter Connors to commence the careers of some talented sorts and the pair appear to have unearthed another exciting youngster in newcomer Grand Jury who claimed a competitive edition of the four-year-old maiden at last Sunday’s Golden Vale Foxhounds meeting at Turtulla, near Thurles in Co Tipperary.

Assuming sole command of the 14-runner contest setting out on the final circuit under Pa King, the towering son of Tiger Groom produced a number of excellent leaps throughout and saw off the brief challenge of runner-up Minella Cocooner after the third-last obstacle, ultimately posting a five-length victory.

“He’s a lovely horse that’s always been showing us plenty since he arrived. Pa was thrilled with him and found he kept jumping himself to the front. He will likely be sold now,” observed the winning handler’s daughter, Susie.

The Sam Curling-trained Some Are Lucky doubled his seasonal tally when claiming the novice riders’ open lightweight. Successful in a similar contest at Castletown last month, the nine-year-old seized control of this race on the approach to the third from home and only needed to be kept up to his work late on by his owner/rider Gerry Spain to account for Rewritetherules by three lengths.

“He’s a superstar to me, really. Better ground suits him best so he’ll be given a break now and come back in the spring. He has been schooled over cross-country fences recently, so that may be an option for him in due course,” reflected Spain.

ON her first start for trainer Gerry Kelleher and overcoming a 560-day absence, Emily Roebling confirmed the promise of her two prior runs by claiming the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Never far from the lead, the daughter of Getaway appeared to have gained the upper hand under Johnny Barry when the trailing pair of Pay The Woman and Ask Alexa departed at the final fence, allowing the Seamus Kennedy-owned bay to come home three lengths to the good over Good Legs.

“She was entitled to do that on her two placed efforts in 2019. She’d been working well but we were afraid she might need the run. A bumper at Christmas time will probably be her next aim,” stated Kelleher, whose family were among the winners at the harness racing in Portmarnock on the same afternoon (see page 82).

The mares’ winner-of-two contest had seen the Chris O’Donovan-partnered Getawayrooney also post her second victory of the current campaign. Owned by Rosscarberry, Co Cork, native Michael O’Neill, the daughter of Getaway produced a dominant display up front from an early stage before holding the efforts of the staying-on Rosy Story by a two and a half lengths.

Supplementing her triumph in a Curraghmore mares’ maiden just over two weeks previously, the six-year-old was maintaining the excellent strike-rate this season of her handler Jason O’Reilly, who remarked: “It wasn’t the plan to take up the running so early but she appeared to enjoy it out in front there. She’s got a lot of confidence from her initial win and was very good. We will find something similar in the coming weeks now.”

ELLEN Doyle, who took the four-year-old maiden at last March’s Golden Vale Foxhounds-fixture with last Sunday’s impressive Punchestown bumper winner Hollow Games, continued her fine form at the Co Tipperary venue as Aki Bomaye took the five-year-old geldings’ maiden in the hands of Barry Stone.

Acquired by connections for €52,000 as a three-year-old, the grey, a half-brother to the Paul Nicholls-trained Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runner-up Granit Jack, forged clear from the top of the home straight and ultimately defeated the Robert Tyner-trained Dance To Fame by three lengths.

“That was a nice performance first time out. This lad is a real big chaser in the making who’ll be even better in time. He’ll head onto sales now if not sold in the meantime,” commented Doyle’s representative Brendan Brooks of the Baltimore Stables Syndicate-owned winner.

Dance To Fame’s handler Robert Tyner later enjoyed better fortune as recent Dromahane runner-up Striking Out ran out a taking victor of the closing six-year-old and upwards maiden, an INHSC bonus race. Given the office by Darragh Allen with four fences remaining, the Travelling Light Syndicate-owned son of Malinas was always in control thereafter and drew clear late on to dismiss Ciaran Fennessy’s Jeremy Central by seven lengths.

“This fellow was a bit safe and sluggish with his jumping the last day. He was much better today, however, and when he put it altogether there he ran out a good winner. We’ll look for a winners’ race for him now,” disclosed Tyner who was greeting his fourth winner this term.

Horse To Follow

Lorvon Pearl (A. Phelan): Having claimed a Templnacarriga maiden for Colin Bowe in late 2017, on her initial start for new connections, this daughter of Gold Well made a most pleasing return to racing between the flags when staying on to excellent effect behind Getawayrooney. A mares’ winners’ contest looks well within her capabilities.