THE 2021-22 season-ending North Kerry Harriers fixture at Ballybeggan Park last Sunday drew a fine crowd with those present witnessing a total of 92 runners participate across a nine-race card.

Co Wexford-handler Mick Goff completed a weekend treble as Some Scope (2/1 - 7/4 favourite) marked himself out as a horse of potential with a debut success in the opening four-year-old maiden.

The son of Telescope was always to the fore under Mikey Sweeney and set a strong tempo from flag-fall and had many of his 11 rivals in trouble some way out.

Last year’s €31,000 Goffs Land Rover Sale acquisition Some Scope found plenty late on and ultimately accounted for Lazer Wolf by four and a half lengths.

“We’ve waited a while with this horse but, since the day we got him home, we’ve always felt he was a very good one. He worked very nicely on Tuesday morning with Mikey aboard. Hopefully he’ll go on to bigger and better things now,” reflected the victorious-handler.

The Denis Prendergast-trained Gonedairy (5/1 - 6/1), owned by the Lalor family from Ballacolla, Co Laois, made the breakthrough on her initial start at winners level when taking the closing mares’ winners-of-three under Johnny Barry.

Gonedairy who had claimed her maiden win at Ballindenisk two weeks previously, is nothing if not game and she bravely saw off the attentions of Caitlin’s Court by a neck to deny Mick Goff a double in the closest finish of the day.

“We’re thrilled with that. The Lalors are new owners to me but they are great people to train for. This mare is coming forward with every run. We might go to the track next,” stated Prendergast.

Champion rider Barry O’Neill joined James Hannon as joint leading rider in the region as Montmartre Abbey (2/1 favourite) made a winning debut in the later divide of the five-year-old maiden.

Produced with a well-timed challenge by O’Neill to join issue with Granda George at the last, the Colin Bowe-trained grey only needed to be kept up to his work to account for that rival by a length and a half. It is likely that the Milestone Bloodstock-owned bay will now be sold. Also likely to be seen in new colours next time is Denis Murphy’s Fortuitous Find (2/1 - 5/2 favourite) who claimed an incident-packed opening division of the same race.

With six of the 11 starters parting company with their riders, Harley Dunne managed to navigate a safe passage for the Shirocco-sired Fortuitous Find and he found plenty late on for a 17-length victory over Soldat Flamboyant.

RECENTLY providing his handler Ben Halsall with his first winner, Visioman (6/4 joint-favourite) doubled his seasonal tally in the novice riders’ open.

Danesfort, Co Kilkenny-pilot Troy Walsh was once again seen to good effect aboard the Vision d’Etat-gelding and asserting with a good jump at three from home, the Nathalie Halsall-owned Visioman soon drew clear to outpoint Act In Time by a comfortable 13 lengths.

Having partnered his first winner between the flags aboard Leading Babe at Turtulla in November, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare-native Robbie Clancy returned to the winner’s enclosure once again as the absent Fachtna Twomey’s Useitorlooseit (6/1 - 8/1) upstaged some more fancied rivals in the older geldings’ maiden. In a well fought out finish, the previous week’s Inchydoney runner-up Useitorlooseit responded well to Clancy’s urgings after the last to collar Don Carlito and prevail by half a length.

“This lad had some lovely runs last year but lost his way a bit this year as Fachtna’s horses were under a bit of a cloud. Thankfully, his horses are backing running well now. I’m over the moon to ride a winner for him as he’s been very supportive of me,” remarked the winning rider.

ON the mark at Punchestown with Direct Image, Kinsale, Co Cork-handler Robert Tyner completed an across-the-card treble on the day when taking two of the three divisions of the mares’ maiden. Both of the trainer’s winners were ridden by Eoin O’Brien with the Michael Hoare-owned Dangan Des Champs (2/1 joint-favourite) initiating the duo’s brace.

Taking over from Terence Leonard’s Castle Jet before three out, the Robin Des Champs seven-year-old saw it out best in the straight to carry the day by a length and three-quarters from When And Where.

“This mare was unlucky to have a race she won in Dromahane in 2020 taken off her for going the wrong side of a bale.

“I’m not sure what Dad has in mind for her now, but she may go back to the track next,” remarked Joan Tyner of Dangan Des Champs, who was placed once in five outings for Phillip Hobbs last season, having previously competed in two points for Tyner.

A return to the track is also likely in the offing for Blustery (6/4 favourite) who brought up the O’Brien and Tyner double in the final heat of the same contest.

The daughter of Yeats proved a class apart from her nine rivals when easily asserting early in the home straight, with 20 lengths separating the David Cotter-owned Blustery and her closest pursuer Jessie Owens at the line.

Ability

“This is a mare with loads of ability. That win today should have done her confidence the world of good and I’d imagine she’ll be kept on the go for the summer now,” said Joan Tyner.

Pa King capped his best-ever season with a final-day winner as Dame De Fortune (3/1) attained her due reward in the middle division of the mares’ maiden when running out a similarly facile winner for Tralee, Co Kerry-native Cian Collins.

Sporting the silks of Corkonian Tim Hegarty, the daughter of Soldier Of Fortune scarcely saw another rival on her way to a dominant triumph and returned home a distance clear of Chatshow Host. Successful handler Collins said of the five-year-old: “That was Pa’s first-ever ride for me so it’s great to get off to a good start with him.

“The mare seemed to really enjoy herself today and having been knocking on the door for a while, it’s great she got her head in front. We’ll give her a break now and make a plan then.”

Lazer Wolf (T. Keating) This newcomer by Getaway ran a race, full of promise when chasing home Some Scope in the four-year-old maiden.