Bella on the Ball ...

Saturday last was red letter day for 18yr old Andy Burke Ott as the young Kanturk native booted home his very first career winner at the Tipperary Foxhounds point to point staged at the Clonmel Showgrounds, located at Lisronagh.

There was reason for even more celebration in the Ott house after the 5 and 6yr old mares maiden, as the winner Zela Bela (4-8) is trained / owned by the younger Ott`s father Alexander.

The 5yr old daughter of Valirann belied an absence of three hundred days to hit the front between the final two obstacles and from here she showed all the right qualities under Andy Ott to keep the persistent challenge of the Derek O’Connor partnered Blackhorse Lady (2-3) at bay with 2L the winning margin.

A beaming Andy Ott was delighted to get off the mark, saying “This is super, I’m thrilled now, I ride out for a good few people around at home Mick Winters , Terence Leonard, Paul O’Flynn, Michael O’Connor, to mention just a few and I am very thankful to all of them who have helped me along the way we bought this mare as a foal and she ran well on her first two spins as a 4yr old and then we gave her a little break, I don’t know where we will go next I will talk to my father and see what he thinks”.

Whilst Andy Ott was getting his career off the mark, at the other end of the scale the all-time leading lady rider Liz Lalor who currently has 111 winners to her credit had a sporting chance to move on to the 112 winner mark in the lady riders Open Lightweight where she partnered La Feline (2-5/2) from the Sam Curling yard, however Alexandra Ingram had not read the script on board her own horse Everything Now (3-4) trained by Gordon Elliott with the Westmeath raider scoring by a length at the death.

Lalor ensured a good gallop on the quick ground from the outset but when Ingram produced the 8yr old progeny of Gold Well to get on terms two out the writing was on the wall, the recent Farmacaffley runner up Everything Now soon edged on and ultimately eclipsed La Feline and Liz Lalor by 1L. Our 4/5 jolly Some Man from the David Christie yard was a distance back under Susie Doyle having never got involved in the contest.

19yr old Alexandra Ingram for whom this was her third winner to date is attached to the Gordon Elliott yard and for good measure the UK native also owns the winner and of bay she said, “Liz set a strong gallop there and it suited my lad to be honest, I will more than likely go for another winners race with him and may take in a hunters chase along the way also”.

Racing got underway with a 4yr old maiden and here Derek O’Connor got off the mark in what looked an above average type in the shape of Act Of Authority (ev-2) who in the Catherine Holden colours scored a shade snugly by 2L.

This son of Authorized 145k store sale purchase was always prominent under O’Connor but he didn’t have it all his own way from the front in fact throughout the course of the race we had four different leaders, but at the business end when O’Connor gave his lad the hurry up on the level after the second last there was only going to be one winner as he picked up in good style opening up a 2 to 3L advantage a margin he maintained right to the death in eclipsing Jet Smart (3-5) and Tiernan Power Roche.

“Pressure is now off thank God,” said successful trainer Ellmarie Holden. “We gave plenty for this lad at the Goffs store sale, we bought him off Johnny Collins (Brown Island Stables, Carrigtwohill) but to be fair he never gave us an anxious moment, we think a fair bit of him now to be honest, and he will improve more as he was very green there in front, sure look he will go to Aintree now to the sales”.

Derek O’Connor recorded a double on the day, and the Galwegian is now closing in on the thirteen hundred career winner mark (currently on 1276), he recorded the second leg of his brace in the 5yr old gelding’s maiden on board 9/4 shot Prince Of Juilley from the John Staunton yard.

Fourth on his debut run at Bellharbour the French bred stepped up on that effort here, getting a dream run up the inner racing off the apex of the home bend bringing them onto two out, a super leap here saw him extend his advantage by 3 to 4L or so, however he began to get lonely up front and both Dexterity (4-7) under Darragh Allen along with Alpha Steed (4-85) and Brian Lawless began to close with every stride. The trio took the last in good fashion with around 2L separating them and in a drive to the line it was Prince of Juilley who prevailed by a head and a neck over Dexterity and Alpha Steed.

Tubber Co Galway trainer John Staunton was on hand to greet his winner and of him he said “He had a lovely run the last day, and I thought a reproduction of that would see us go very close, he idled in front there now and t’was tight enough at the finish but he will improve for it, he will go to the Aintree sale next”.

The winner was bought by amateur rider Eoin Mahon and is owned in equal partnership between Eoin Mahon along with his father Steve and a family friend John Moylan who currently resides in America.

Eoin Mahon was to ride the horse on Saturday but in the week leading up to the meet he got a fall on the road going to a gallop and ended up cracking a bone on his elbow as well as his knee, we wish him a speedy recovery.

Pa King is enjoying a stellar season in the plate to date and he moved into the twenty winner mark on board the Willie Murphy trained Clonmeen who took the 6yr old and upwards geldings maiden by a wide margin.

The successful son of Stowaway easily carried the best form into this contest and the recent Kildorrery runner up had little difficulty in stepping up to score here.

In front from the outset the market drifter (6/4-3) gave a display of fencing from the front and by half way he had some of his eight rivals put to the sword, throughout the last half mile or so the Darragh Allen partnered Imperial Tune (3-4) tried to keep the winner honest but this pairing failed to land a telling blow eventually trailed in some 15L behind the impressive winner.

Co Carlow trainer Willie Murphy was on hand to greet his winner whom he trains for Kiltegan Co Wicklow man Stephen Campion who incidentally also bred the winner, of this fellow Murphy said “He deserved that on form and I am delighted for Stephen as this is our first winner together after a long time trying, he will go to Mallow now on Easter Monday where he will contest the Hunter Chase”.

Racing concluded with an unplaced maiden and here twelve went to post with victory going to the Wexford raider Kalanisi Flash (4-7) from the Brian Jordan yard and partnered by Barry Stone.

Having pulled up on his previous outing at Lingstown two weeks ago the 5yr old progeny of Kalanisi revelled on the better ground here storming to the front of the home bend and from here he powered his way home going on to score by 15L from Evening of Summer (4-6) and Chris O’Donovan.

Duncormick trainer Brian Jordan said of this his first winner of the current campaign, “He is just a big baby who took time, he will improve massively off this. His dam Pistol Flash was black type for John Mulhern and this lad has a right old page, he is not ground dependent, he will be sold now after that”.

INFIELD LAYOUT...

The committee at the Lisronagh venue have done trojan work to improve the circuit there and it is now a credit to them and all the hard work they put in to it.

The circuit itself has three infields and the middle one was where the parade ring and bookmakers ring was located along with food stalls and weigh tent and from here viewing at the Tipperary venue was adequate for everyone. Now though they have crammed everything into the smaller of the three infields where viewing is greatly reduced for everyone and detracts from the days sport so much so that some regular point to point people did not attend on Saturday due to lack of viewing.

I would cautiously suggest to the committee that if they could, they should revert to the old infield layout if possible which would enhance the days sport for all concerned.