Model County dominates
There was some stellar fare on offer at Sunday last’s Muskerry Hunt point-to-point staged at Dromahane, our third such visit to the North Cork venue in the last four weeks.
The day belonged to the 'Model County' trained horses as they plundered no less than four of the six races on offer including the valuable INHSC sponsored winners race which carried a prize of €4475 to the winner. For such a great series and with a great pot to the winner it was disappointing that just five horses were declared to run.
The well supported Gray Rock (6/4-9/4-7/4) from the Liam Kenny yard ran out a very comfortable 6.5L winner under a very stylish Luke Murphy ride. Murphy had the 7yr old progeny of Rail Link in a prominent position throughout and after the fourth last he committed for home quickly going on by 2 to 3L.
Out of the pack and the Moira McElligott partnered Barton Snow (2-5/2) emerged as a big danger closing right up and briefly at the second last the Carlow raider hit the front, but as he did seven days earlier when hitting the front he idled and hung out to his right, McElligott did well to keep her lad in and get over the last but at this stage Gray Rock ran run straight as a gun barrel and once safely over the last bounded clear to score going away by 6.5L from Barton Snow.
Gorey based trainer Liam Kenny was absent on the day as he was at Stowlin, but Darragh Brennan was on hand to represent the trainer and of the winner he said "Look he had a lot of racing in the early part of the year where he won two and was placed five times, we decided to give him a break, and we had this ‘Final’ as our long term plan so I am glad it all worked out well for him, I am not sure where he will go next but I would imagine a hunters chase could be on the cards for him".
This contest is run along the same lines as the Gain mares series only it is for geldings. It is for horses who were maidens at the start of the season and were placed in any point to point race since then. It is a great initiative and deserves greater support going forward.
This winner was bringing up the second leg of a double for jockey Luke Murphy as he also steered the Harry Kelly trained Bootfullofbags (4-8) to a comprehensive 4L victory in the 5yr old and upwards mares maiden for which fourteen went to post.
The twice previously pulled up Bootfullofbags was in the front rank throughout and turning in to face up to the third last of the fifteen fences she was strongly pressed by the Jack Hendrick ridden Scene stealer (6/4-5/2-2) but the jolly’s effort was not a sustained one and she quickly faded out of contention. Up front and Bootfullofbags kept finding plenty for Murphy and the daughter of Scorpion duly went onto eclipse the fast finishing The Kids Choice (3-4) and Eoin O'Brien with 4L separating the pairing at the death.
"She got her ground that is the long and short of it," said Fethard based trainer Harry Kelly. "We kind of had her ready to run but then the pandemic hit and sure we left her off, she had the two previous runs but hated the old heavy ground so we held tough and today was the plan, she may campaign away there now on the track for the summer. I’m delighted for the owners as they are great neighbours of mine at home, Edel Fitzgerald and Tom Hayes, that was Luke’s first winner for me and fair play to him he gave this mare a smashing spin".
Racing got underway with a 4yr old mares maiden with victory here going to the Donnchadh Doyle (Wexford) trained Jayapura (3-2) the mount of Brian Lawless.
The daughter of Great Pretender stood out in the preliminaries and all throughout the contest you were drawn to her and it came as no surprise that when Lawless popped the question three out the response was electric and she quickly put the contest to bed coasting home to score by 11L from Chosen Bae (2-5) and Ross berry.
"We gave 16K for her," said the successful trainer. "She is a lovely type with a great way about her, can jump and has plenty boot, ah sure look like all mine she will go to a sale next".
The 4yr old gelding’s maiden went the way of a Wexford raider also in the shape of Chosen Judge (3-5) from the Colin Bowe yard and partnered by Eoin Staples.
Miami Magic (3-6) and Benny Walsh tried to make every post a winning one but this pairing raised the white flag shortly after three out, the Brian Lawless ridden All One word (2-3) then briefly hit he front whilst the Derek O'Connor partnered Iamagetaway (2-3-2) flattered to deceive two out before quickly fading. The Eoin Staples produced the winner with a wet sail between the last two obstacles and with a spring heeled leap at the last went on to eclipse the staying on Foxy walk (3-5) and Jack Hendrick with 2L the winning margin.
The winner was bred and is owned by Thomas Meagher of Kendrah House Stud (Cahir) and will now be offered at an upcoming sale, the winner is the first for Eoin Staples and Colin Bowe and along with Bowe the 19yr old also rides out for Rob James and Andy Pierse.
Camolin, Enniscorthy based trainer John Paul Brennan has had a quiet enough year by his normal standards and he saddled just his second winner of the current campaign Ivegotdapower (6-10) to land the 5yr old geldings maiden with the winner steered home by sean Staples an older brother of the winning rider in the previous contest.
On his tenth start in points Ivegotdapower was sent on after the second last by Staples and the son of Imperial Monarch had to put all that experience gained to good use to hold off the sustained challenge of Zmiinyi (2-3-2) and Eoin O'Brien, the pairing had a coming together half way up the run in, but at the death it was the Wexford raider who held on grimly by a short head.
"I did a Willie Mullins on it and took off all the bit ‘n bobs I was using on him, reverted back to a straight bit and a nose band and it worked out," said successful trainer John Paul Brennan. "To be honest this is a good horse and he will win a bumper as he has gears, I will talk to my neighbour and co-owner Connie Rooney but we might go to Stradbally for a winners’ race or we might just go straight to Doncaster to the sale".
Racing concluded with the 6yr old and upwards maiden and it was the Wicklow raider Gift And Glory (5-8) who under a power packed John Barry ride prevailed from the back of the last to score by 1.5L.
The 6yr old progeny of Fame And Glory left his form figures of ‘FPRPU’ well behind him when getting the better of a titanic struggle with Leeneys Cross (2-9/4-2) and Andy Burke Ott, with the contest settled by a better jump at the last for the eventual winner.
Trained by the absent Riceal Dunne (Enniskerry, Co Wicklow), it was Katie Lawless who represented the absent trainer, stating "He finished third on debut as a 5yr old but lost his way after that, he ran well here two weeks ago before unseating two out so we said we would try again, I have no idea where we will go next. Fair play to John Barry he gave him a proper spin".
ONE TO FOLLOW... PULSE OF CAMELOT (VINCENT DEVEREUX)
This son of Camelot finished third on debut at Punchestown and was well supported here at the books to improve on that, and whilst flattering three and two out he faded here to finish fourth, beaten 7L or so and on a less demanding track should be one to keep onside.