ALL roads led to Birch Hill outside Grenagh on bank holiday Monday for the annual Dawstown fixture, staged under the auspices of the Muskerry Foxhounds, and the Pat Doyle-trained newcomer Elusive Prince hinted that he holds a particularly bright racetrack future by recording a facile success in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

In a race that saw all 11 participants completing the course, Paddy In The Caddy set out with the intention of making all and he took the runners along at a decent tempo with Beat The Boum and Soldier Unknown as his closest pursuers whilst the eventual winner travelled well towards the outer of mid-division.

Elusive Prince (4/1) edged into contention in fourth spot approaching the third-last of the 15 obstacles and he was closing on Paddy In The Caddy on the run to two out.

The son of Elusive Pimpernel eased past Paddy In The Caddy before the last with Pa King to dismiss the long-time leader by a comprehensive two lengths in the silks of Dunmore East-based owner Robert Finnegan.

Face D’Music meanwhile posted a debut effort rich in promise by returning a further one length adrift in third spot.

“He’s a grand horse going forward and he will now go into training with Henry de Bromhead,” said handler Doyle of Elusive Prince, a €40,000 Derby sale acquisition that’s out of a half-sister to dual Grade 1 chase winner Road To Respect from the same family as Road To Riches.

Barry O’Neill seems well on his way to another riders’ championship and he combined with Colin Bowe to record a two-timer, the pair signing off with Theatrical Getaway (3/1) in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Theatrical Getaway, having fallen when holding place prospects on his only previous outing at Tinahely in late November, eased his way into second spot from the fourth last and could be called the most likely winner from three out.

The son of Getaway, owned and bred by Maria Kavanagh, surged past long-time leader Tuff Days between the final two fences to account for ‘Trixie’ Barry’s representative by two and a half lengths with the pair coming home 20 lengths ahead of the third-placed Doitforjane Sid.

“Barry [O’Neill] said that he gave him a good feel and he’ll now go for a winners’ race,” reported Bowe of Theatrical Getaway.

Barrack Village (7/2) initiated the Bowe/O’Neill brace by landing the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 14 runners.

Barrack Village, a physically-imposing daughter of Mount Nelson that’s out of a half-sister to her breeder Robbie Hennessy’s former Grade 1 John Durkan Chase winner Rubi Light, vindicated the promise of two commendable fourth-placed efforts at Tyrella and Comea earlier in the season by going for home after four out to beat Stellar Symphony by five lengths in the colours of Milestone Bloodstock Ltd.

Bowe remarked of the five-year-old Barrack Village: “She has a bit of experience and likes good ground. I’d imagine that she will be sold now.”

Cool Dude makes all to claim a debut victory

TIERNAN Power Roche kept his supporters happy by recording a two-timer. The Co. Wexford native opening his account aboard the Harley Dunne-owned/trained newcomer Do It Like A Dude (6/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

On an excellent afternoon for frontrunners, Do It Like A Dude led narrowly virtually throughout from Choose A Copper until joined briefly by the aforementioned market leader four out.

The winning son of Libertarian was soon back at the head of affairs from Choose A Copper, who didn’t help his cause by blundering two out. Do It Like A Dude was in command on the run to the last and he defeated Choose A Copper by a length while Glens Sensation, returning from in excess of a five-month break, shaped well by finishing a further head adrift in third.

The in-form Dunne reported of Do It Like A Dude, a €20,000 Tattersalls Ireland May sale graduate that hails from the same family as Whitbread Gold Cup runner-up Folly Road: “He’s a big, raw horse that’s tough and honest. He will now go to a sale.”

Power meanwhile brought up his brace aboard the Aidan ‘Scobie’ Fitzgerald-trained Garm Colombe in the winners’ of two (6/1).

The seven-year-old Garm Colombe, a previous dual points scorer that represents his absent trainer’s wife Ashling Daly, was bounced out in front and he gave a fine display of front-running.

The victorious French-bred, equipped with cheekpieces, was closely attended to by Jessmae inside the final half mile and he was the faster in the air over the final three fences which partly enabled him to thwart Declan Queally’s charge by one and a half lengths.

Meanwhile, the Gerry Kelleher-trained On Lovers Walk hinted that he will be winning again before too long by securing the minor honours, a further seven lengths adrift.

Favourite edges O’Donovan ahead of O’Connor

CHRIS O’Donovan now leads Derek O’Connor by one (15 – 14) in the southern regional riders’ championship following his success aboard Michael Winters’ River Vale (5/4), the only outright winning favourite of the afternoon, in the adjacent hunts’ maiden.

River Vale brought the best form to the table in this 10-runner contest considering that he finished second on his previous two career starts at Dromahane, most recently when beaten a short head by Flemens Intrest on April 16th.

The winning son of Mahler led from the third fence and gave his supporters some cause for alarm by blundering two out. Alarm developed into near heart palpitations on the flat as runner-up Oscars Brother closed menacingly inside the final 100 yards, but River Vale held on to score by three quarters of a length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

Michael Winters is planning a racecourse campaign on soft ground next winter for River Vale, owned by the Down To The Alley Syndicate.

Horse to Follow

Face D’Music (S. T. Doyle): This son of Jukebox Jury made an excellent career debut by staying on for third spot in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, beaten three lengths in total. He should effortlessly win on the racetrack.