Rebel with a cause

The 2021/22 point-to-point season is slowly drawing to its natural conclusion and last weekend on the Cork/Waterford circuit it was Ballindenisk, Watergrasshill who took centre stage.

With a large entry (158) multiple divides were always going to be order of the day and so it came to pass with both the 4yr old and 5yr old and upwards mares maiden contests both dividing to give us an eight race card.

They say a week is a long time in politics, but sixteen years between winners is a fair old stretch to be fair, and this was the case in Sunday last’s Confined Hunt maiden race kindly sponsored by Johnson and Perrot along with McCarthy Commercials.

Community Rebel (2-3) owned and trained by Tommy Hurley from Kilavorilla, Conna and partnered by his son Johnny ran out comfortable winners of this six runner contest.

Third at Bartlemy in a similar contest the week previous, the 6yr old progeny of Asian Heights stepped up on that effort here coming through to lead going to the wings of the last and looked to have taken the measure of the Rachel Kelly partnered Kos (4-7 ) when that one cruelly unseated at the last, this left Community Rebel in control and he duly galloped right to the line going on to eclipse market drifter Samos Island (1/2-2) and Shane Baragry by 4L.

“That is marvellous,” said a delighted Tommy Hurley. “He ran well in his previous three starts and I thought he would be thereabouts again today, he is tough out and fair play to Johnny, he gave him a grand spin and that is our first winner together, I would say now this lad if not sold will be turned out into a green field tomorrow and will come back next year for a Banks Race campaign”.

This was Hurley’s first winner since Community Spirit won at Inch back in 2006 some sixteen years ago. Tommy Hurley is amongst a dying breed of point-topoint people in this country, every year since 1978 Hurley has had a horse for points but he is not in it for profit, if he was, he would have pulled the plug before the 1979 season got off the ground, Hurley and his equals are in it for sport and the kick that they get out of it, and it is these local Confined and Adjacent Hunt races that they target.

However these races are slowly on the decline throughout the country as there is pressure on committees to drop these contests. However for me these races are the lifeblood of the sport as the people involved are generally the people who are running the meeting in the first place and without them, we would have no sport, I have said it before and will say it again, point to points should not be all about the 4 and 5yr olds and how much they make at a sale.

The race for the Southern rider’s title looks like going right to the wire with both James Hannon and Chris O’Donovan vying for top spot whilst Derek O’Connor is just two winners off them in third.

Going into Sunday O’Donovan trailed Hannon by one and as early as the third race the Coolmore sponsored 5 and 6yr old geldings maiden O’Donovan was back on level terms taking this on board the Declan Queally trained debutante and well touted Lord Snootie (2-5/4).

O’Donovan bounced the 5yr old progeny of Malinas out in front from the drop of the flag and subsequently was never troubled or headed eventually going on to dismiss Powers Dilemma (4-7) and John Barry by an un-extended 8L.

“We knew coming here we had a special one and he did not let us down,” said Declan Queally junior. “This lad jumps and stays and does everything so easy, he is in the same ownership as Lord Schnitzel, and I will talk to Klaus (Koentopp) later on but I would imagine he will go to the Newmarket national hunt sale in two weeks’ time”.

With the leader board in the Southern Championship now showing seventeen wins a piece for Hannon and O’Donovan, but that tally didn’t last long as Hannon quickly moved onto number eighteen as he landed the concluding winners contest on board the well backed Rocconrockall with the 7yr old Shirocco finding 5/4 from 9/4 in this Geaney Property Developments sponsored contest.

The only maiden in this six-runner contest Rocconrockall raced prominently throughout under Hannon and came there strongly.

On the incline to two out to assume control from long-time leader and Gain Mares’ Final winner Koyote (4/6-6/4) and Chris O’Donovan, between the last two obstacles and there was only going to be one result and with a fleet footed leap at the last Rocconrockall went on to dismiss Koyote by 4L and in doing so put Hannon back on top of the southern championship by the minimum margin.

The winner is now under the care of David Murphy who himself trains out of Donal Commins yard in Thurles and this winner was having just his second start for Murphy having previously been in the care of Eddie O’Grady, of the winner Murphy said “We like this lad a lot and that nice ground there today suited him. He had plenty left in the tank there and will improve again for today, I know James would love us to run him in a winners’ race next but I would imagine he will go back to the track now after that”.

The winner Rocconrockall is owned by Fermoy man Kevin Keneally and this is his first foray in racehorse ownership so a dream start.

Barry O’Neill moved onto the career mark of 700 winner mark by recording a treble here at The Hill and the Wexford native brought up the treble with Some Man (1/2ev-4/6) by landing the Open Lightweight contest with the minimum of fuss for trainer David Christie.

The Moira McElligott partnered Rose Of Coolbally took the field along at a right old clip from the outset with the Carlow raider enjoying an uncontested 10 to 12L advantage for the most part.

In the dip before meeting the rising ground and Barry O’Neill made the decisive move to lead just before the second last and from here the 9yr old son of Beat Hollow was toying with his rivals going on to dismiss the gallant long-time leader Rose Of Coolbally with 4L the winning margin.

Of the winner Co Fermanagh based trainer David Christie said “I have never trained a horse with his speed, he is just electric; he had a tough race up North last weekend but he takes it all in his stride, I don’t know where we will go next but Stratford is on the horizon for him”.

Some Man is owned jointly by Northern bookmaker Ray Nicholas and amateur rider Rob James, Nicholas loves his pointing and his one wish is to own and win the Champion horse award this year and it looks in all likelihood that this win just might make the dream come true.

Earlier in the day O’Neill opened his account with the once previously raced Lunar Contact (2-7/2) to land the second split of the 4yr old maiden.

Trained by Colin Bowe the progeny of Sea Moon stepped up on his third placing at Oldcastle to last home here to score by a neck from the fast finishing Isle Of Gold (3-5) the mount of Harley Dunne.

O’Neill actually led by 2L half way up the run in but as he began to tire his fellow county man Harley Dunne had his lad in top flight as he closed with every stride but the line came too soon with O’Neill holding on by a neck.

Trainer Colin Bowe was absent on the day but Barry O’Neill said of the winner “The ground the last day beat him it was way too heavy and he appreciated that lovely ground there today, he will go to a sale now”.

Thirty minutes earlier and Colin Bowe struck again in the first division of the 4yr old maiden but this time with the perceived outsider of his two Ballabawn (4-6) the mount of James Kenny.

Third on debut at Broughshane the Soldier Of Fortune progeny was bounced out in front by Kenny and with a display of fencing he quickly had some of these toiling Imperial Assain (3-4) under Mikey Tobin gave chase throughout the last quarter of a mile but was never nearer than the 2.5L he was beaten.

“He had a nice first run,” said successful rider James Kenny. “We freshened him up at home and he was snug enough there to be fair, I would think he will be sold now”.

The 5yr old and upwards mare’s maiden was also divided and it was in the second split that Barry O’Neill brought up the middle leg of his treble on board the Willie Murphy trained Miss Mae West and despite form figures of PPPP9 this daughter of Westerner was dispatched your 7/4 favourite for this Tatts sponsored ten runner contest.

In front from the outset the Carlow raider gave an exhibition of fencing from the front and despite the main body of the field closing up in behind going to two out she had plenty in reserve going on to score a shade cosily by 2.5L from Blooming Fortune (3-5) and John Barry.

Moira McElligott takes up the story of the winner: “We had this mare early on in her career before she went to join Sonny Carey, she came back to us a little while ago now and she showed there that she is the mare we always thought she was, we will talk to her owner Martin Byrne and see where we will go next. She has a great page with her half-sister An Cathaoir Mor a grade one winner for Henry De Bromhead”.

“Liz rode her mother eight years ago to win this self-same race,” said Denis Prendergast after his Gonedairy (6/4-2) sluiced up in the first split of the mare’s maiden.

Having finished second at Bartlemy on the previous Sunday the progeny of Robin Des Pres turned up here in good order storming to the front after the second last and keeping up the revs going on to account for Lady Violet (6-10) and E Mellerick with 2L the winning margin.

The winner is owned by Ballacolla couple Joe and Hilary Lalor who are first cousins of Liz, this is the first horse that Denis Prendergast has had for them and of the winner Prendergast said “She is tough out, I don’t know where we will go now, I will talk to Hilary and Joe and make a plan”.

This winner now puts Lalor on the seven-winner mark for the season just two behind Susie Doyle and don’t be surprised to see her poke out another few before the season ends.

PRESENTATIONS....

On Sunday last the committee at Ballindenisk made a presentation to both Mary Hickey and Bernard Smullen a both are stepping down from duties at the end of the season and with nearly 100 years’ service to point to points between them these presentations were richly deserved as was the large and heartfelt round of applause that accompanied them.

NEXT WEEKEND.....

On Saturday we head to Ballingarry where the Ormond Hunt stage the first of their two meetings next weekend. Whilst on Sunday on the Cork and Waterford scene we have Clonakilty to look forward to.