Four Hundred and Five, Not Out....

For the second time in seven days, point to point action was staged on Sunday last at the ever-dependable Dromahane venue where the local Duhallow Foxhounds staged their meet.

Liscarroll jockey Michael O’Connor had a day to remember, as he recorded a double on the day and now stands on the 405-career winner mark to date, sitting just eight winners off his target of 413, a target set by Enda Bolger.

O’Connor and Newcastlewest based trainer Terence Leonard have proved to be a very successful combination together recently and having only landed a double at Ballynoe a fortnight previously, including landing the GAIN mares final, this combination struck again here to take the thirteen runner 5 and 6yr old mares maiden with the well backed Moviddy (3-11/2-3).

This daughter of Urban Poet was a credible third on debut at Nenagh last month and she had little difficulty in stepping up on that effort here, scoring a shade snugly by 1L.

In front from the outset O’Connor set a strong gallop here on board the eventual winner and by time they turned in to face up to the line of three fences up the home straight for the final time you always felt O’Connor was going to collect, the Wexford raider Masked Artist (4-7) under Mikey Sweeney had been prominent throughout but over the last half mile she failed to land a telling blow on the winner, going down by a length at the death.

Five horse trainer Terence Leonard was on hand to greet this his third individual winner from just his fourth runner this season of Moviddy and he said “I nearly didn’t run her as she is coming into season but thankfully it worked out, I am delighted to get the winner here as I am a member of the hunt and the track is local to me, she had a great run at Nenagh and I told Mikey to make plenty use of her as she would love that quick ground, I bought her as a foal off her breeder and she will be sold on now after that, I must give credit to Mikey he is some jockey I am so lucky to have his services”.

O’Connor doubled up on the day by landing the concluding 5yr old and upwards Adjacent hunt maiden with the well backed Nice To Meet (3-5/4), and for good measure O’Connor also trains this lad for Cork city-based owner Greg Coleman.

A faller on his last outing at Liscarroll, the 6yr old progeny of Sans Frontiers had no such problems here and gave a display of fencing from the front, despite being headed for a stride or two going to the second last the eventual winner was quickly back at the head of affairs and from here the result was never in doubt as Nice To Meet duly pulled right away scoring a shade cosily by 3L from Must Have Hope (3-5) and Michael O’Sullivan who were noted doing their best work at the death.

“I am delighted with that,” said the successful rider / trainer, “I ran him at my local meet in Liscarroll the last day and we tipped up at the last, in hindsight I shouldn’t have run him as the ground that day was holding but the quicker ground here today suited him way better, he is a very good horse to jump and I will talk to the owner now but I would imagine we will go for a winners race next”.

Clonroche, Co Wexford jockey/ trainer Harley Dunne had a day to remember on Sunday last not only did he ride a treble at Tattersalls, he also trained a treble two at Tatts and one at Dromahane, in the shape of Genietoile (3-9/2) who landed our opening eleven tunner 4yr old maiden.

Partnered by Tiernan Power Roche he produced the French bred with a wet sail going to the last and touched down a marginal leader over this, on the level the recent Tinahely faller dug deepest here for his young jockey going on to score by 1L from the flattering El Saviour (3-5) and Mikey Sweeney, with the market drifter Trooper John (6/4-4) and Barry O’Neill taking third some 2L further back to give Wexford raiders a clean sweep in the placings.

With Harley Dunne at Tattersalls it was successful rider Tiernan Power Roche who spoke on his behalf, stating “He was unlucky to tip up the last day at Tinahely but it all came right there, he is a very straightforward horse at home and he will be sold now”.

This winner put Roche on the seven-winner mark for the season to date, three of whom have been supplied by Harley Dunne.

Another O’Connor, this time Derek O’Connor was also amongst the winners as he got 9/4 shot Susie Miller up late on to score by half a length in the mare’s winners of two contest.

Victory didn’t look likely for the 6yr old daughter of Westener as she was 3L down going to the last behind the Shane Baragry partnered Fiery Brown (6/4-5/22), both mares took this well and on the long run in the Tipperary raider Susie Miller began to make inroads into Baragry’s lead, in the final 75 yards or so the two came together before O’Connor got the second favourite up to score by half a length.

Some time after the result was called a stewards’ enquiry was also called and after a ten-minute deliberation the result stood.

Successful trainer Sam Curling was absent on the day as he was on duty at Stradbally where he was also amongst the winners, speaking to him by phone Curling said “We gave her a little break after Boulta back in December and she will now go to Tippereary for the mares’ bumper”.

Just four contested the Open Lightweight and this looked a straight match between last Sunday’s heroes It Came To Pass (1/3-4/5) and Alan O’Sullivan, and La Feline (ev-6/4) under Derek O’Connor.

Well to cut a three-mile race short it was the 2020 Cheltenham Foxhunters winner It Came To Pass who claimed the honours under young O’Sullivan, sealing it with a winning leap two out and from here was always in control going on to score by 1L from La Feline, and in taking this was giving the Mallow CBS leaving cert student his second winner in seven days.

Successful trainer Eugene O’Sullivan was on hand to greet his 12yr old stable star and of the winner he said “Again I am delighted for Alan and the horse; it has taken Alan some time to get going due to injury but he is off the mark now in earnest, he is a smashing rider, the horse is running very sweet at the moment and we may give him an entry for the Jack Tyner at Mallow we will see, his owners were to be here today but they couldn’t get out of Manchester but hopefully we will have other days”.

Trainer Colin Bowe and Jockey Barry O’Neill look to have unearthed a decent prospect in the shape of Castleward (6/4-4) who sluiced up in the eleven-runner 5yr old geldings maiden.

Third on his only previous start at Carrigtwohill the son of Notnowcato was bounced out in front by O’Neill and subsequently was never headed coming home some 8L clear of the staying on Galloping Pride (3-7) and Tiernan Power Roche.

“Most of mine were under the weather for a bit, but they are finding a bit of form again,” said successful trainer Colin Bowe. “He loved that ground there and he jumped for fun, I will talk to the owner but I would imagine he will be sold”.

The winner is owned by Michael Cave who is domiciled up at the Ards Peninsula in Co Down and is just the second horse he has had in training with Bowe, the other one being Ballyalton, a winner at the Cheltenham festival back in 2016.

NEXT WEEKEND....

Locally next weekend we have pointing action at Curraghmore, whilst we also have sport at Quakerstown and Oldcastle, and not forgetting the point to point day at Mallow on the Bank Holiday Monday.

I’m told that the South Union fixture at Kinsale may not go ahead this year on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th May, keep an eye to p2p.ie for further updates on this before booking that hotel or B&B.