IT has been a memorable two weeks for up and coming young rider Luke Dempsey. At Clonmel on Thursday, he registered his fifth win in the last fortnight thanks to Heavenly Brook’s success for Co Armagh trainer Robert Watson in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase.
The 11-year-old gelding went to the head of affairs after the third fence and was never headed thereafter. With market leader Coolaghknock Glebe coming to grief towards the rear of the field at the fourth from home Heavenly Brook kept up the gallop to hold the effort of He Rock’s by two and a half lengths.
The successful trainer also owns his 7/1 winner and Dempsey said on his return: “He’s a handicapper and is very good to jump. He got his way in front and was jumping from fence to fence. It’s nice that he’s finally won.”
Ian Ferguson was another handler who found the long trip south to be worthwhile when Leighinmohr, the 15/8 favourite, plundered the Slievenamon Beginners Chase, a race in which there were only four finishers.
Jointly owned by Brian Kearney and James Murray, the eight-year-old stepped up on the promise of his most recent run behind Down Ace at Down Royal to beat Dawerann by 60 lengths after Horse No Name, who was challenging in second, broke his shoulder at the final obstacle.
Jockey Andrew Lynch reported: “He’s a big, lazy horse and probably wants better ground. He didn’t beat a whole lot but you couldn’t fault him there and I had the other horse cooked when he fell.”
Jim Dreaper doesn’t saddle too many bumper winners but 4/1 chance Sizinguptheamazon was a rare exception when becoming the trainer’s first success in that sphere since the 2006/07 season.
Racing in the colours of Alan Potts, the newcomer served notice that he is a horse to be reckoned with when accounting for the odds-on favourite Augustin by two and three quarters of a lengths in the hands of Jamie Codd.
“Basically we don’t run them in bumpers unless they can’t hack it in point-to-points because they are mentally backward,” the trainer explained. “So he must be an exceptional horse. He doesn’t show a great deal at home but he stays going. Michael Browne found him and told us about him before he ever ran.”
Kilford, from the Leonard Whitmore stable, landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle when posting a gritty performance from the front under Harley Dunne to take the spoils by four and a half lengths from market leader Perfect Woman.
The 7/1 chance is owned by the Fort Road Syndicate, made up of four members of the Whitmore family including the trainer’s mother Bridie and his daughter.
The trainer said: “He won three point-to-points and wasn’t a bad horse then but had two bits of injuries which held him up completely. This track suited him, a galloping old track but the last day he didn’t stay galloping.
“He’s only coming right but he’s 11 now so we’ll keep going. He’ll jump a fence after the 1st of May.”
Never out of the first two in the Lisronagh Maiden Hurdle, the Eoghan O’Grady-trained Westerner Point duly came up trumps for Philip Enright and the eight member Thade Quill Syndicate from Ballyclough when justifying 2/1 favouritism by one and a half lengths from Frankie Ballou.
The six-year-old has been very consistent and O’Grady commented: “I’d say he’s back to his Thurles run and if we’d made more use of him in Thurles before Christmas (behind Top Man Marty) he might have won a bumper. He likes soft ground and two miles in soft ground at that grade suited him. He’ll keep plugging away.”
Sean Flanagan gave Curragh Na Gold a positive drive to take the Carrick-on-Suir Mares Handicap Hurdle by one and three quarters of a length from Good As Gold.
Harry Kelly has care of the 3/1 favourite for her Wexford owner/breeder Eamonn Byrne and said: “She’s consistent but tricky and she’s probably tailor-made for handicaps because she jumps and she travels. Jumping was always her thing and she’ll go for something similar.”
Jockey Paddy Mangan provided Doneraile-based trainer Brian O’Keeffe with his first winner under rules when capturing the Comeragh 80-109 Handicap Hurdle with The Grey Guy.
Homebred by the trainer’s wife Nora, the quietly-fancied 3/1 joint favourite refused to yield when challenged by Fiddlers Way from the final flight to repel the danger by half a length.
O’Keeffe has held the licence for just over a year, having taking it over following the death of his father Con. He said: “He jumps and he stays and is a very genuine horse. We’ll keep him going for this year and if he stays in one piece he might go chasing next season.”
ACTING STEWARDS
S. McDonogh, P. Coveney, M. McMahon, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
FOLLOW NED (S. Braddish): An eye-catcher when coming from a long way back to take fourth place in the maiden hurdle. He made up a lot of ground from the third last to stay on well and could be an interesting prospect when he gets a handicap mark.