THE rescheduled Kildorrery meeting took place last Saturday at Rockmills Stud where the hosting Duhallow Foxhounds have been racing since 1979.

Chris O’Donovan, who hails just four miles away from the course in Shanballymore, had an afternoon to savour as he recorded an initial career hat-trick.

The north Corkonian will have attained huge satisfaction from his success aboard Artic Breeze in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden as the bay is owned and trained by his father John.

Clonmeen and Master Psalm vied for supremacy up front in this eight-runner contest until the latter gave way from the fourth last of the 14 obstacles.

Artic Breeze (5/1), who finished a fine fifth to Captain Broomfield on his previous start at Dromahane in November, soon edged into a fractional advantage over Clonmeen and it was clear that the winning son of Arctic Cosmos was possessing all the aces on the run to the final fence.

Artic Breeze powered clear to beat Clonmeen, who has now finished runner-up on all three career starts, by two and a half lengths, with the pair returning a distance clear of the third-placed Master Psalm.

The elder O’Donovan reported of his winner: “He’s a horse that has just needed time and he kept growing after we bought him. He’ll probably be sold now.”

Three runners

O’Donovan instigated his hat-trick aboard the Declan Queally-trained Lord Schnitzel (1/7 - 1/8 favourite) in winning the open, a race that attracted just three runners.

The Limerick Christmas hunter chase victor Lord Schnitzel was bounced out at the head of affairs and although erring four out, he was never really in any danger and accounted for Space Cadet by two lengths to post his fourth success of the season in points.

Handler Queally’s son and namesake intimated that former Grade 1-placed chaser Lord Schnitzel, owned by Klaus Koentapp who was away on holiday in Sri Lanka, will now be prepared for an assault on the Cheltenham hunter chase in a couple of weeks’ time.

Dead-heat

The Michael Winters-trained mare Clounts Glory (4/5 favourite) provided O’Donovan with his middle success by dead-heating in the winners of three with Rose Of Coolbally (4/5 - 1/1), partnered by veterinary surgeon Moira McElligott for her husband Willie Murphy.

Rose Of Coolbally made her way into pole position setting out on the final circuit only to be overtaken on landing over the last by recent Knockanard winner Clounts Glory.

Rose Of Coolbally however was in no mood to be denied and she fought back valiantly as the line loomed to force a share of the spoils.

Winters indicated that Clounts Glory, shared by brothers Dan and Billy Horgan from Rathmore, could now be aimed at a hunter chase.

Meanwhile, Rose Of Coolbally, owned and bred by Peter Tyrrell, was recording her fourth success of the season and she’s likely to stay pointing.

THE James Sheehan-trained newcomer Kym Eyre indicated that a bright track career lies in wait by readily showing her rivals a clean pair of heels in the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden.

The Mahler-sired Kym Eyre (6/1 - 5/1) was always positioned close to the pace as Like Ta Ma took the field along and the six-year-old winner hit the front after three out.

She was already well clear of her rivals when running somewhat green on the approach to the final fence and Tom Feeney’s mount returned with nine lengths to spare over last month’s Belharbour third Lilting Verse.

Kym Eyre, a relation to Morning Run and Morning Supreme, is now likely to be targeted at the Gain Mares’ Final in Ballynoe.

Kym Eyre represents her Galwegian breeder Eric Callanan, who also owned handler Sheehan’s former 145-rated chaser Hurricane Ben. Incidentally, that one won his maiden at this same meeting with Ciaran Fennessy in 2016.

Corbetts collects

Eugene O’Sullivan runners command automatic respect at this fixture and he sent out Ballindenisk January runner-up Corbetts Cross (2/1 - 5/2) to collect the five-year-old geldings’ maiden in the hands of his daughter Maxine O’Sullivan.

Corbetts Cross moved into the slipstream of last season’s Tipperary runner-up Grey D’Alco after four out and he surged past Terence O’Brien’s charge before the last.

It was all relatively plain sailing thereafter as the son of Gamut asserted to put four lengths between himself and Grey D’Alco while Fine Margin provided ample indication of ability by returning a further 13 lengths adrift in third.

It’s worth recalling that handler O’Sullivan also won this race with subsequent US Grade 1 winner Scorpiancer in 2014.

The victorious owner/trainer indicated that Corbetts Cross, in whom Ger Stack and Tony Keating from Rockchapel also hold an interest, will now contest the pointers’ bumper at Cork over Easter.

THE Paul Cashman-trained Overtheline justified favouritism in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden for novice riders, much to the dismay of the 12 bookmakers present.

Overtheline (6/4-2/1 favourite), who brought the best form to the table considering that he finished third in the Turtulla five-year-old geldings’ maiden won by Theformismighty on January 16th, was bounced out at the head of affairs by James Murphy and the winning son of Malinas was shadowed by Rebel Pat virtually throughout.

There was virtually little to separate the pair from four out until Rebel Pat slipped up when still lying a close second on the bend after the second-last.

Overtheline’s advantage was then eroded by runner-up Churchtown Queen before the last, but the Glenview Stud inmate drew clear on the flat to oblige by two and a half lengths in the colours of his trainer’s mother Catherine Cashman.

Handler Cashman later suggested that Overtheline could develop into a smart hurdling prospect.

Grey D’Alco (T. O’Brien): This French-bred vindicated the promise of his second-placed debut effort behind Daily Present at Tipperary last April by leading until before the last in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The grey was then beaten four lengths into second by Corbetts Cross and he should improve on that soon.