O’Brien Leads Them A Merry Arch

Mitchelstown rider Eoin O’Brien is enjoying a stellar season in the saddle to date and whilst he reached the milestone one hundred winner mark in the saddle at Inch last week, he quickly moved on to the one hundred and one winner mark at Sunday last, Clare Hunt Point to Point which was staged in Quakerstown, Co. Clare with the majestic Burren as a backdrop.

O’Brien teamed up with his trainer, father Vincent to land the 6yr old and upwards geldings maiden with the well supported Meetmeatthearch (3-6-7/2) with the progeny of Jet Away easily building on his recent fifth place finish at Ballynoe.

Always prominent O’Brien set sail for home on the downhill to two out and once in front, this towering bay made light work of the energy sapping underfoot conditions staying on well to score by 3L from Road To The Weir (4-8) and TP Harney.

“I was unlucky in Ballynoe, getting hampered by the loose horse, but that experience stood to him there” said successful rider Eoin O’Brien, he continued “The rain helped to be honest as he stays well and is a natural jumper, he is a big horse standing at 17:3 but he is a gentle giant, we bought him as a 3yr old off of Paul Cashman and beyond today we have no great plans”.

This winner was the first one shared between Eoin and his Father (Vincent) with the winner owned by Eoin`s wife Marie.

Emily Cody is enjoying her best season in the saddle to date and the former Ireland’s Fittest Family contestant moved onto the four-winner mark as the short priced Killultagh Vic (1/24/6-1/2) sluiced up in the four runner Open Lightweight confined to lady riders.

The Alice Mc Carthy partnered Cabin Hill (3-5) raced into a clear 30L advantage from the outset, however in this pairing were issuing distress signals when they parted company five out.

Their demise saw the oddson favourite left with a clear 6L advantage and from here the now 13yr old progeny of Old Vic pulled right away going onto score effortlessly by 25L from Dubai Dandy (9/4-4) and Hannah Philips.

Kilkenny based trainer and mother of the successful jockey, Debbie Cody was on hand to greet the winner and of this former Grade two track scorer she said “That is it for this season, he is thirteen and we need to mind him, I brought him to Fairyhouse last week but wouldn’t run him on the ground and only entered him here due to the forecast, I know there will be a temptation to run him again next weekend if we get more rain but no I have to mind him, we have no more in to run, that’s it”.

Racing got underway with a nine runner 4yr old maiden, this race was run in an absolute deluge of rain but that did not inconvenience the winner Foreverwalking (2-4) who under Pa King lasted home to score by a head.

The debutante progeny of Walk In The Park a 70k store purchase raced prominently throughout and despite some indifferent fencing King found himself 3L to the good three out, and from here they made the best of their way home on the incline away from the back of the last. He began to thread water and with Rath Gaul Boy (6-8) under Barry Stone closing with every stride, it was hard to call as the pair flashed across the line locked together to the naked eye, however the camera sorted it with Foreverwalking getting the verdict by a head, with the only other finisher Loughrask Poet (4-6) under Harley Dunne a further 20L back.

Successful trainer Pat Doyle was absent on the day, but winning rider Pa King said “He is a smashing horse, he carried me everywhere, I was in front too soon and he got lonely in front, I would imagine he will go to a sale now”.

21yr old Connor Costello gave himself the ultimate twenty first birthday gift by steering Search For Glory (3-6) to victory in the eleven runner 5yr old`s geldings maiden.

Costello had the debutante in rear for most of the journey, before making gradual progress throughout the last half mile to join long-time leader Fulgurant (3-5) and Barry Stone on the incline to the fifteenth and final obstacle. The duo took this as one but Fulgurant crashed out here and his demise saw Search For Glory come home some 5L clear of the only other finisher Old Folk Tale (2-4) and Harley Dunne.

Successful trainer John Costello, who is also father of the successful rider said of the winner “I bought this lad as a foal so we have been looking at him a long time, I would imagine we will go for a bumper in the autumn if he is not sold, I’m delighted for Connor and that is his fourth winner of his career to date”.

The last winner John Costello had at Quakerstown, was Next Destination who subsequently went on to win in Graded company for Paul Nicholls.

Harley Dunne is going through a right purple patch in the saddle and again on Sunday he was amongst the winner`s, as he steered the Andy Pierce trained Noplacetobe (3-5) to an easy 5L victory in the six runner mares maiden.

Fifth on her previous outing at Belclare the daughter of Kalanisi was bounced out in front by Dunne and subsequently was never headed. Giving a display of fencing from the front she had this contest in safe keeping from a long way out eventually going on to score by 5L over the Evan Nugent partnered Finding Fame (4-8) who was doing her best work at the death.

“She had a great first run the last day and we came here today expecting a big showing” said successful trainer Andy Pierce from Blackhall, Co-Wexford, “Her owner Pat Denton who is a neighbour of ours at home gave 6k for her at the August sale and I would imagine that she will go to the Doncaster sale next”.

Racing concluded with the Confined maiden and here jockey Pa King recorded the second leg of his double to top and tail the meet.

Here King came from last to first with the Donie Hassett trained Getaway Train (5/4-9/4-2) to head stablemate Jacks Orchard ( 3-5 ) and Harley Dunne on the climb to the last and once safely over this prevailed in good style by 3.5L.

“I have no great plans for him after today “said Donie Hassett, “Pa gave him a grand spin on that old ground”.

HARD WORKING COMMITTEE...

The committee of the Clare Hunt deserve great credit for the effort they put in to draw a crowd and on Sunday we had, Trade and Food Market, Bonny Baby contest, Face Painting, Pony Rides, Dog Show, Clare Hunt Display, Best Dressed Lady/ Gent contest, a Pony Race along with Terrier Racing the place was packed despite the rain that fell from 2 to 3pm.

Also on the day they held an auction for the Red Cross Ukranian appeal and the eight lots raised over 4250 euro.

AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL...

Aintree Grand National hero Noble Yeats started off in point to points with Donie Hassett and on Sunday a presentation was made to Donie in the parade ring as he was presented with a bottle of Champagne compliments of the Waley Cohens.