THERE was some ultra-competitive fare at last Sunday’s Waterford Foxhounds meeting at Curraghmore and James Murphy will certainly treasure fond memories of the Portlaw fixture as he recorded an initial career double.

The 23-year-old instigated his brace aboard the Philip Fenton-trained Park The Giant (2/1 - 5/2) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 16 runners.

Park The Giant, who brought the best overall pieces of form to the table considering that he finished third on his two most recent starts at Dromahane and Ballyvodock, was bounced out towards the head of affairs and he edged into a couple of lengths advantage from the fifth last of the 13 obstacles.

While slowing somewhat approaching the last, Park The Giant never really looked like being caught and he returned with two lengths to spare over never-dangerous newcomer Lord Desart, who was doing all of his best work at the death.

Meanwhile, the Liscarroll penultimate-fence faller Toss Of A Coin finished a further length adrift in third in a race that a plethora of future winners are likely to emerge from.

Loved the ground

“He’s a horse that we gave a small break to after Ballyvodock and he loved the ground today,” observed handler Fenton of the Steeplechasers Club-owned Park The Giant, a son of Walk In The Park hailing from a strong German distaff family that includes Tarlac and Tipolino.

Walshtown native Murphy, who only found out on Sunday morning that he was riding Park The Giant, completed his brace by bringing the Terence O’Brien-trained newcomer Pitwood Road (2/1 - 5/2) from well off the pace to claim victory in a competitive renewal of the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Pitwood Road, one of five debutantes in the 11-runner field, was only ninth setting out on the final circuit and she edged ever closer on the long run from three out as Party Vibes still held sway up front.

The eventual winner closed from two out and, with Party Vibes blundering at the last, she came through to overtake the pacesetter en-route to beating her by one and a half lengths. The pair returned 10 lengths clear of the third-placed Aisling Nua.

Pitwood Road represents her British-based breeder Derrick Mossop and the daughter of Proconsul, a half-sister to dual track winner Anglers Crag, would appear to hold a bright future ‘inside the rails’.

Sauntered

Proceedings closed with the confined maiden and the Michael Butler-trained Hit The Button (2/1 – 6/4 joint-favourite) sauntered home on his points debut under Troy Walsh.

A former hurdler, Hit The Button overtook long-time leader Honey Roll Over two out and he was clearly travelling best with a four-length advantage when throwing a fabulous leap at the last.

The son of Virtual, sporting the silks of joint-breeder Tom Ryan, then stretched clear on the flat to contain the mare Weir Lane by nine lengths.

Handler Butler indicated that the five-year-old Hit The Button could now contest a Down Royal hunters’ chase next month.

OWNER-trainer Tom Keating appears to have a smart sort on his hands in Kingston Pride (3/1 - 4/1) who made a taking winning debut in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Clondaw Creed and Freestyle Fighter took the 12 runners along at a decent tempo as the victorious son of Kingston Hill was held up well off the pace by Chris O’Donovan.

The Enabler went to the front three out as the eventual winner moved ever closer in fourth spot after the third-last fence.

Kingston Pride led after two out and seemed well in command on the run to the last. However, he lost some momentum just before take-off and The Enabler then held every chance.

The winning grey asserted inside the final 75 yards to comprehensively beat The Enabler by two lengths. Meanwhile, The Dancing Tree, who was still only eighth with two fences remaining, showed a powerful turn of foot from before the last to return a further length adrift in third.

Nice horse

“He’s a nice horse that had been working well at home and he will now go to a sale,” disclosed Keating of his Goffs Land Rover Sale graduate that’s out of a half-sister to five-time track winner Cavite Beta from the same family as Trabolgan.

The Stevie O’Donoghue-trained Dripsey Moon (2/1 - 5/2) supplemented last month’s Knockanohill adjacent hunts’ maiden success by narrowly landing the winners’ of one.

Dripsey Moon and newcomer Park It Up disputed the running until the latter edged into a couple of lengths advantage from three out.

Dripsey Moon took over before two out and he seemed set for a comfortable success when sweeping clear after the second-last fence.

Jessmae, who had to be ridden along from three out, emerged however as a major threat approaching the last and he actually touched the front briefly on the flat.

The winning son of Let The Lion Roar fought back valiantly for Alan O’Sullivan to deny Jessmae by a neck in the colours of his handler’s fiancée Sharon Kelly.

Macroney-based dairy-farmer O’Donoghue reported that Dripsey Moon, the only pointer that he has in harness at present, will now be offered for sale.

AGLISH native Michael McGrath (17), a fifth-year student at Dungarvan CBS, experienced a never to be forgotten afternoon by recording an initial career success aboard his father Roger McGrath’s newcomer Ballinrea (3/1 - 4/1) in the six-year-old and upwards maiden for novice riders.

Ballinrea, a physically-imposing son of Libertarian that’s owned by breeder Paddy Condon from Glengoura, picked up the running travelling well on the outer before two out. He then survived a slightly anxious moment at the last to dismiss Stayinalive by three lengths.

Handler McGrath, who disclosed that his son also secured valuable show jumping experience, indicated that Ballinrea is now likely to be sold.

The Dancing Tree (P.J. Flood): This son of Pillar Coral came from well off the pace to finish third on his debut in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Beaten just three lengths in total, the Pomme Tiepy relation possesses plenty of gears and a bright track future seems assured.