Top of his field

Castletownroche native and now Mallow domiciled Richard Harding has seamlessly made the transition from amateur rider to trainer and it is in this sphere that he is quickly making a name for himself. On Sunday last Harding sent out debutante Broomfield Burg to decimate his 11 rivals in the second split of the 4yr old geldings maiden at the Westmeath Foxhounds point to point, staged behind closed doors at their well-appointed Castletown- Geoghegan venue.

This contest like all the others on the day was run in monsoon-like conditions on ground that rode more testing than it walked. Micheal O’Sullivan got the leg up on the progeny of Sageburg and, having seen how tired they finished in the first split, O’Sullivan was content to sit out the back for most of the trip before making gradual progress throughout the last mile or so, to lead away from the back of the penultimate obstacle and, from here the €22k purchase at the May sale, was not going to be denied, going on to score hard held from the James Kenny partnered Green Vault, whom to be fair was a shade unlucky as his saddle had slipped from as early as the fourth fence. Rob James finished third some 3l further back on board My Bad Lucy, the Enniscorthy man’s first runner in the training ranks.

“Sure look we had him ready to run last season but the shutdown put paid to that,” commented Richard Harding. “We think an awful lot of him and we came here expecting a big run and thankfully it worked out. Fair play to Michael he gave him a peach of a spin. I must give a mention to Derek O’Connor, he was to ride this horse but he got injured up North yesterday and I want to wish him a speedy recovery. To be fair he had done a lot of work on this lad and he was looking forward to riding him, but once he’s ok that’s the main thing. I will talk to the owner now and see where we go from here, but I would imagine he will be sold”.

The owner is Midleton farmer Ray Fitzgerald and he too was on hand saying, “That was super, fair play to Richie he always said to me this is a right one, full credit also to Michael he gave him a very cool spin, big shout out to Derek also, hopefully he will be back soon”.

This pairing of Harding and Fitzgerald were also responsible for one of the Ballyarthur winners back in March as Karlie bolted up and subsequently joined Michael Scudamore in the UK.

The first split of the opening 4yr old maiden went the way of a familiar combination in the shape of trainer Colin Bowe and rider Barry O’Neill, as their Grady Hollow sluiced up by 6l in a contest where only two of the original 12 finished.

The son of Beat Hollow, who finished a credible second at Kirkistown back in February, had little difficulty in stepping up on that effort here, assuming command before two out before going on to score by 6l from Monbeg Genius and Jamie Scallan.

In Colin Bowe’s absence successful owner and Arklow man Pat Kavanagh takes up the story, “This lad is home bred out of a Darsi mare, Darsi O’Grady, who Colin also trained for me to win. We have had great luck together and long may it continue. This lad is very good and Barry said he had loads left in the tank, I would say now we will move him on”.

Enniscorthy based rider O’Neill left the track with no less than three winners on the day and in doing so he brought his career tally to no less than 601, an incredible feat to be fair.

On the day winner number two came about from the yard of Paul Nolan in the shape of Fire Love, as his 5yr old debutante daughter of No Risk At All battled very gamely to land the 5 and 6yr old mares maiden for which 11 ran.

In front for the most part, the French bred Fire Love was joined and headed two out by the Noel McParlan partnered Drumlees Pet, who in fact slipped on by a length or so in front on making the downhill run to the last of the 15 obstacles. Barry O’Neill is not champion jockey for no reason and he galvanised another effort from the eventual winner to be on terms over the last and in a strong drive to the death kept finding a little to prevail by half a length.

Paul Nolan was absent on the day but of the winner Barry O’Neill said “She’s a smasher, tough and game, I’d say she will have a big future on the track”.

Co Fermanagh trainer David Christie has probably provided O’Neill with more winners than anyone outside of Bowe and, again on Sunday, he saddled Handy Headon to land the winners of two contest with consummate ease.

In front over the second last the 8yr old progeny of Well Chosen, who only landed his maiden back in January at Tinahely, was not to be denied from here going onto dismiss Oldcastle winner Diegos Way and John Barry by 10l, with a further 3l back to another Oldcastle winner, Dento Des Obeaux and Jay Gibney.

“I got it wrong with this lad the last day,” said successful handler David Christie, “Today I told Barry to drop him out and to creep away during the last mile and see where he would end up and look it worked a dream. He will tip away in points for now, but in time I’d like to go for a maiden hunter chase. I’m delighted for his owner Ray Nicholas, he has travelled down here today from Belfast and this will shorten the journey home for him, I hope”.

A divide was widely expected in the 5 and 6yr old geldings maiden but this didn’t materialise due to horses being withdrawn due to ground conditions, but 15 did stand their ground. As it turned out only one horse counted as the Noel McParlan partnered Out Of Exile made every yard of the running to eventually score by 3l.

Fourth on his last outing at Lismore, the strapping 5yr old son of Mahler had little difficulty building on that effort and giving a display of fencing from the front. He had this contest put to bed two out before going on to dismiss Sidewaysinmilan and Rob James by 3l.

Trained by the successful rider’s father Sean and sporting the family colours, the winner will now be offered at an upcoming sale, said Noel.

A field of 14 went to post in the novice riders open lightweight, but on paper only one of three could win it realistically and so it panned out. From the outset the Susie Doyle ridden Samanntom held a prominent position as did eventual winner Some Are Lucky and Gerry Spain, whilst the other contender Eddies Miracle and Ben Harvey whipped them in.

Heading out into the country for the final time and it was obvious that neither Samanntom or Some Are Lucky were going to be caught as they had opened up a 15 to 20l advantage over the remainder. The pairing matched strides until the climb to two out and it was here that Sammanntom raised the white flag and, with his chance quite obviously gone, Susie Doyle pulled him up. This left Some Are Lucky clear and, despite tiring somewhat on the run in, he still had 2.5l to spare over Peacocks Secret and Shane Fenlon.

Trained by Sam Curling for owner/rider Gerry Spain, this was the 9yr old Gold Well eight points victory in seventeen starts and was partnered by Spain on each occasion.

Of the winner here Gerry Spain said, “This track has been very lucky for me as this is my fourth winner around here. With this lad I found myself alone in front too far out but sure what could I do only keep going, I kept wide for a bit better ground and thank God it worked out. We will tip away in points with him, I love the game and it’s only a bit of fun for me”.

Spain is a pharmacist by profession and runs his own business in Tipp Town and, at 45yrs of age, he says he has no intention of packing up anytime soon.

Noel McParlan signed off on the day by recording a brace of winners and he teamed up with fellow Northern man Colin McBratney to land the spoils in the concluding 6yr old and upwards maiden.

Despite scoring by 15l that doesn’t tell the whole story, as the eventual winner was strongly pressed down to the last by the Dec Lavery ridden Slieve Donard. There was little or nothing between the pair at this, but Lavery’s mount failed to get the landing gear down and crashed out, this left Ashtown Paddy and Simon Cavanagh to come home some 15l in arrears.

WELL DONE

Sunday was a terrible day in Westmeath, wind, rain, cold, general misery to be fair, but the bright side was that the health screening protocols worked well, as did the whole declarations bit along with weighing in and out. However, one had to feel for the riders trying to change at their car in such conditions, but they did without complaint and the day in general passed off well, so well done to all concerned in such trying circumstances.