Fr Humphrey reels in the years

With no race divided all season on the Cork/ Waterford point-to-point circuit it was inevitable that with a massive entry of 235 horses at last Sunday week’s Killeady Harriers meet staged at Dromahane that all that was about to change.

On the day we ended up with ten races as 119 beasties fulfilled their engagement, however with a 2pm start the last race did not complete until 19.55pm, this marathon day was compounded by some badly parked cars blocking the ambulance area, this was then followed by a further delay as a member of the public took ill and had to be airlifted from the track, we wish him well and hopefully a speedy recovery is on the cards.

The opening 4yr old geldings maiden was divided and it comes as no great surprise that both divisions went the way of Co Wexford trained raiders.

In division one Cleariestown trainer Jonathon Fogarty saw his Captain Bellamy (4-6) absolutely decimated his fourteen rivals under a very positive Barry Stone drive.

The debutante progeny of Black Sam Bellamy was sent on about his business with over a mile to race by Stone and from here he was always in total control and in fact quickened again from the back of the second last to go on to score by a widening 14L margin at the death, the Barry O’Neill ridden Union Avenue (2-4) kept on for second in the Colin Bowe colours.

Trainer Jonathon Fogarty was on hand to greet his winner and he remarked “Look he is a super, super horse, I ride him out every day myself and he is improving away all the time. A friend of ours, Kevin McAuliffe, had him at the sales and he didn’t sell so he asked me to take him to train for an equal share and thankfully it has worked out, he will go to a sale next.”

Rob James was wearing both hats in division two of the 4yr old maiden as he both trained and rode the winner, and the victory here of his easy to back 7/2 shot Off The Jury capped off a great weekend for the Wexford man having also recorded a 4yr old victory at Tattersalls on the Friday.

James produced the successful son of Jukebox Jury to assume command between the final two fences and despite showing very evident signs of greenness the imposing Bay ran through the line some 3L to the good over the John Barry partnered Ski Lodge (3-6).

“This is a very classy horse,” said Rob James. “But of all the horses I have had to run this season this lad is still the greenest of them, he jumps and stays and he has plenty toe, he will go for a sale next”.

Another trainer amongst the winners on Friday was Denis Murphy who trains under the banner of Ballyboy Stables down in Enniscorthy, well he sent out both winners of the divided 5yr old geldings maiden.

In division one his 40k Land Rover sale purchase Binge Worthy made a very favourable impression under Jack Hendrick landing this by a very snug 1L winning margin.

The Walk In The Park progeny was always to the fore here under Hendrick, he produced him to lead going to the last and once safely over this he was always holding too many aces for the Bertie Finn partnered Itsnoteasy (4-7) with 1L the winning distance. This pairing pulled some 8L clear of another Wexford raider Wexford Park (6-8) the mount of Tiernan Power Roche, giving Wexford trained horses a clean sweep.

“He is a horse that has always shown plenty at home, and I am glad now that he backed that up here today,” remarked successful trainer Denis Murphy. “He was a bit keen there early on but Jack is a top class rider and he got him settled into a lovely rhythm, he will, like all of mine, go to a sale next”.

Half an hour later and Denis Murphy was again back in the winners enclosure as his Wild Side Of Life (6-8) under Joey Dunne did the business with the minimum of fuss by 4L.

Third on his two previous outings the son of Soldier Of Fortune came widest of all, touching down over the second last and from here he was always containing the effort of the Chris O’Donovan ridden Ri Na Cuirte (3-5) with ultimately 4L separating them at the death.

The winner, a half-brother to Queensbury Boy who Murphy won this year’s Lismore 4yr old maiden with, looked a very classy sort here and of him Murphy said, “I got it badly wrong with this lad as after his first run he got a bit light and I still ran him and in hindsight I shouldn’t have, anyway I gave 55K for him as a store and on the strength of his homework I bought the Doyen lad who won at Lismore and thankfully it worked out, again he is sales bound”.

The 5yr old and upwards mares maiden went no less than a three way divide and all three divisions went back to Co Wexford.

In the first split trainer Colin Bowe and Champion elect rider Barry O’Neill combined to take this with easy to back 6/1 shot NT Field Minnesota who was sporting the colours of Castleblaney man Leo McArdle, the man who is responsible for making the Tommy Bowe designed shoes.

The daughter of Flemensfirth was by far the most experienced mare in the fourteen runner contest and Barry O’Neill put that experience to good use, getting a lovely run through to lead off the home bend and from here she was always holding the persistent challenge of the Eric Mellerick partnered Dangan Cloud (5-8) with 1L the winning margin.

“We got her wind done since the last day and it looks to have done the trick, ”said trainer Colin Bowe. “She is a smashing mare who will go to a proper trainer next (WP Mullins) and she will campaign away over the summer on the track and will pay her way”.

Tomhaggard, Co Wexford trainer/jockey Benny Walsh is having a stellar season and his good run continued as he landed both the second and third divisions of the mares maiden.

In division two and sporting his own colours he took this contest by the scruff of the neck around half way on board Harrys Hope (4-8) and giving a bold display of fencing from the front the 5yr old daughter of Quest For Peace readily stepped up from her two previous runs going on to score here impressively by 4.5L from Morning Star (6-10) and Barry Stone.

Walsh’s wife Jenny who is down to own the mare, said of her: “We got this mare from her breeder Harry Curtis who sadly passed away earlier this year, she is a fine strong mare who really appreciated the nice ground and the big galloping track, she will go to a sale next”.

Half an hour later and Walsh was again back in the winners’ enclosure as his Lightening Mahler skated in by 4.5L also and in taking this was crediting Walsh with his first ever training double.

The well fancied Emilys Choice (2-7/2-11/4) looked as if she came to take her race three out under Barry O’Neill, however she could not repel the challenge of Lightening Mahler who was produced with impeccable timing by Benny Walsh to lead touching down over two out. Once in front the debutante daughter of Mahler stormed right away to score by 4.5L from the now thrice runner up Emilys Choice.

Owned by Seamus Osbourne from Shilleagh, Co Wicklow the home bred created a very favourable impression here and of her Benny Walsh said “Sure look she is a very smart mare, does everything easy at home and will improve away off that, she will be sold now after that. That is my first training double and my first winner for Seamus Osbourne, but to be fair Seamus’s son broke and pre-trained this mare and he did a fantastic job, my bit was easy after that”.

Age is but a number they say and so it proved in the Open Lightweight contest as the 15yr old 16/1 shot Fr Humphrey under a power-packed Niamh Hennessy drive, scored here with a fair bit in hand and in taking this took a couple of notable scalps in the form of Rockys Howya and La Feline, both of whom are the main protagonists in the battle for the champion pointer for 2022-23.

Seven times points winner Rockys Howya (4/5-1/2) assumed his customary pole position from the drop of the flag whilst the other market principal La Feline was waited with by Derek O’Connor.

As the contest unfolded it became clear that Rockys Howya wasn’t travelling or jumping with the same fluency in front, but despite this he still turned in to face up to the third last some 2 to 3L to the good, in behind and Derek O’Connor was now low in the saddle and quickly it became obvious that she La feline was beaten. Up front and two out and Rockys Howya was joined and passed by Fr Humphrey and Niamh Hennessy and from here the 15yr old son of Carlo Bank was not for stopping and with a spring-heeled leap at the last the pairing bounded clear to score in impressive fashion by 4.5L from Rockys Howya with La Feline another 4L in further arrears.

This was the Co Kilkenny woman’s first points winner although she did win a valuable handicap at Tipperary for Willie McCreery back in 2016. Hennessy is now based in Fermoy and works for Brendan Holland at Grove Stud at Gurrane Fermoy, from here Niamh Hennessy takes up the story, “I said it one day to our dentist James Trigg that I was looking for something for Opens for myself, and a few days later he rang and said Mary Hallahan was looking for a good home for this lad, so I took him and sure here we are today and he has given me my first points winner as both a trainer and a jockey so I am delighted, over the moon”.

Moira McElligott is enjoying her best season in the plate and having ridden out her claim earlier in the year she has now moved onto the five winner mark and this puts her top of the ladies championship table level with Maxine O’Sullivan.

On Sunday McElligott was seen at her best when coming from well off the pace with a perfectly timed run on board the recent Quakerstown runner up Barton Snow (5/4-9/4-2) to land the thirteen runner 6yr old and upwards geldings maiden.

The 6yr old progeny of Snow Sky was settled in rear of the field for most of the contest before making gradual progress into contention two out, between the last two fences and McElligott hit the front from Farmers Future (6-10) with Tuff Days (4-6) staying on as well. In a drive to the judge it was the Carlow raider who prevailed by ½ L and ½ L from Tuff Days and Farmers Future.

Successful trainer, owner and husband to the winning rider Willie Murphy was on hand to greet his winner and of him he said “If he didn’t win today I thought he would never win and fair play to Moira she was exceptional there, he is a very good horse to be fair but just had old niggly bits and pieces go against him, I will run him again in a winners’ race and it looks as if this lady rider’s title will go down to the wire”.

Racing concluded with an Adjacent hunt maiden for which six went to post but due to low lying sun the three fences up the home straight were omitted leaving just five fences to be jumped here in total.

The Jason O’Reilly trained Reagrove Lad was the best supported here under Eoin O’Brien finding 5/4 from 2/1, but like so many fancied ones throughout the day he too found one better than him.

Having gone a steady early pace this contest developed into a sprint from the back of the last (fourth last really) and here James Hannon kicked for home on board the mare Imperial Fox (5/2- 7/2), and this kick found out a couple of these. Turning in she had stolen 4L over the remainder and to her credit she kept it up right to the death to eclipse the staying on favourite but ultimately had 2L to spare at the line.

Trained by Padraig Butler from his new base by the Viaduct out the Bandon Road out of Cork, the winner was bred and is owned by the landowner of Clonakilty point’s track Leslie Beamish. Of the winner Padraig Butler said “Sure look she had two very good runs prior to this (2nd twice) and she deserved her turn, I will talk to the owner now and see where we go next”.

With that it was 8pm and the day was over, however it would be very remiss of me if I did not give a mention to the medical team on the day who carried out their duties in a professional way in attending to the member of the public who took ill, and as I said earlier we wish him a speedy recovery.

Also a very special mention to the Order Of Malta volunteers who give up their Sundays week in week out so we can have sport, they do this freely and without any reward and it is only in situations like we had on Sunday that we realise how important they are.

ONE TO FOLLOW... SIDE SHOW (SAM CURLING)

This 5yr old daughter of Champs Elysees was a faller five out on debut up North. She reappeared here and attracted plenty of support at the books and whilst holding every chance three and two out she faded somewhat to finish fourth, beaten 11L or so and on a less demanding track looks nailed on for maiden success.