MIKEY O’Connor will forever treasure fond memories of last Sunday’s renewal of his local Liscarroll meeting as he partnered a sparkling three-timer at the Duhallow Foxhounds-sanctioned fixture to edge past Enda Bolger into fifth spot on the winning most list of point-to-point riders.

With Bolger on 413 winners, O’Connor moved past the Bruree-based figure by recording his initial success of the afternoon aboard Paul O’Flynn’s clearly-useful newcomer Quarry Rocco (2/1 - 6/4 favourite) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Kedg West took the 13 runners along, closely attended to by Kilbarry Hill with the eye always drawn to the eventual winner in fourth spot on the wide outside.

The son of Shirocco, owned and bred by his handler’s father Tom O’Flynn, eased to the front on the approach to the second last of the 12 obstacles.

While this penultimate fence claimed Toss Of A Coin, who was lying in second spot at the time and also Kedg West who had dropped to fourth, Quarry Rocco swept clear on the approach to the final fence.

He ultimately returned with 12 lengths to spare over Kilbarry Hill with a further one and a quarter length break back to newcomer Burnley Lane in third.

“He’s a proper horse and this wouldn’t really be his ground at all as he ideally wants nice ground.

“He had been working well at home with West Cork Wildway [138-rated chaser] and he will probably be sold now,” said O’Flynn of Quarry Rocco his second winner of the season.

Hold dear

This victory is one that O’Flynn will always hold dear as his late grandfather Tim O’Flynn was a long-standing member of the Liscarroll committee.

The 41-year-old rider, Mikey O’Connor, completed his three-timer aboard Niall Kelleher’s Sarah Jane in the six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

The Aghabullogue runner-up Sarah Jane (3/1 - 4/1), who was equipped with cheekpieces, moved through to dispute the running with four fences remaining and she swept clear from two out to dispense with the only other finisher Coolyline Red by 36 lengths in the colours of Gerard Nihill from Quin.

Sarah Jane is one of eight horses that former amateur rider Kelleher has in harness at his Sixmilebridge base.

O’Connor recorded his middle success of the afternoon aboard trainer-breeder Jack Bennett’s progressive mare Dancing After Dark (5/2 - 3/1) in the winners’ of one.

Dancing After Dark, a Belclare maiden winner last term that later went on to finish second in a two and a quarter mile Kilbeggan mares’ hurdle in June, made a triumphant return to the fray and she recorded a pillar-to-post success.

The triumphant seven-year-old was clearly possessing too many aces for favourite Desert Cave from two out, 32 lengths separating the pair at the finish.

“She did it nicely and I was a bit worried about the lack of a run this year and also the ground,” confessed two-horse handler Bennett of the Kate Costello and Brothers Syndicate-owned Dancing After Dark.

“She will now run in the mares’ hunter chase at Cork on Easter Monday,” he added.

Wild Grouse rises to the occasion

THE John Murphy-owned and trained Wild Grouse (7/2 - 4/1) came home as he pleased in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden for novice riders.

Wild Grouse, also homebred by Murphy’s Highfort Stud, atoned for falling on his two previous starts by setting sail for home with Adam Feeney from five out and he was clearly well in command from the second-last. At the post, the winning son of Getaway had 16 lengths to spare over teenager Michael McGrath’s mount Knock On Wood.

Murphy’s travelling head lass Sinead O’Sullivan remarked: “It’s only his third run and he has always worked like a good horse. I’d imagine that he could stick to points for a while.”

Marie Harding is experiencing a most productive campaign and Hiddenvalley Lake’s former handler struck with newcomer Hathaways Cottage (4/1 - 5/1) in the five-year-old mares’ maiden.

Head of affairs

The towering Hathaways Cottage was sent straight to the head of affairs by Eoin O’Brien and she was closely attended to by Colline Fleurie and Yougoingforone from six out.

Lucky Viv moved through to lead from two out only for the winning daughter of Mahler, whose dam is a half-sister to British Grade 2 winning novice hurdler Creepy, to strike the front once more approaching the last.

Hathaways Cottage was always in command thereafter and she returned with five lengths to spare over Colline Fleurie. It’s likely that Hathaways Cottage, sporting the silks of Killavullen-based breeder Mary Turner, will now be sold.

PROCEEDINGS commenced with the four-year-old maiden, a race in which 11 out of the 12 runners were newcomers, and the Andy Slattery-trained Cantico (3/1 - 5/2 favourite) displayed clear signs that tenacity is his definite strong suit by making a winning debut under 5lbs claimer Adam Ryan.

Cantico, who shares his sire Diamond Boy with the previous Wednesday’s Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle winner Impaire Et Passe, was always well positioned in second as Castle Swan adapted pacesetting duties.

Cantico moved through to dispute with Diamonds For Luck when the latter fell two out. The bay appeared the most likely winner on the run to the final fence, only to blunder here, and he held on admirably as runner-up Fortified Fortune closed inside the final 75 yards to get within a head at the line.

Meanwhile, Personal Ambition made a most pleasing debut by returning a further three lengths adrift in third spot in a race that plenty of future winners are likely to emerge from.

“He was showing a lot at home and he’s a horse that’s still a big baby,” reported handler Slattery of his sister-in-law Sharon Slattery’s Cantico, a €45,000 graduate of last year’s Goffs Land Rover Sale whose dam is an own-sister to French listed-placed chaser Rhode Island.

It’s worth recalling that this same race has been won in the past by His Song and Peddlers Cross.

Fortified Fortune (M. E. Doyle): A newcomer by Soldier Of Fortune, this strapping bay made up four lengths from before the last to be beaten just a head into second spot in the four-year-old maiden. The €50,000 Derby sale graduate should easily develop into a track winner.