Cotter is D’man...

With mother nature wreaking havoc on many sporting events throughout the island of Ireland last weekend, the sport of point to pointing was not immune from cancellations with Taylorstown, Curraghmore, Rathcannon and Ballynoe all falling foul of the weather gods.

One meet that did go ahead on Sunday last was the Louth Foxhounds meet staged at Tattersalls and despite the rain that fell in the week prior to the fixture going ahead, cars were surprisingly able to drive in and out of the infield, whilst the track itself was soft, heavy in places and throughout the course of the drying day it became quite tacky with some animals finishing very leg weary.

One rising star of the weigh room this year is 17yr old Shane Cotter, from Britway and he moved onto the seven winner tally for the season to date as he steered the David Christie trained Ask D’man (2-5) to a snug 2L victory in the five runner open lightweight contest confined to novice riders.

This contest was won at the very start of the race as Cotter poached a six length lead on the run to the first of fourteen fences jumped and, with this advantage, he was able to quicken and slow the tempo as he wished, getting breathers into his mount. As the race developed the Gordon Elliott trained Michael Love partnered Battleoverdoyen (2/5-1/2) loomed large on the run to two out but a super leap here by the eventual winner ultimately sealed the contest and, with no problems at the last, the dual hunter chase winner Ask D’man went on to record his sixth points victory by a snug 2L.

Derrylin, Co Fermanagh based trainer David Christie was on hand to greet his winner and of the 10yr old progeny of Ask he said: “That was great and fair play to young Shane he gave him a grand spin, he is not the easiest of horses to ride and is way better going left handed but Shane got him into a lovely rhythm in front and the horse enjoyed himself. It is great to have this lad back on form. As for over a year now my horses have not been right and have been very hit and miss but two weeks ago this lad just came back to himself and his coat improved, it was like someone flicked a switch, so hopefully we may have turned a corner. This lad won the novice hunter chase race at Stratford in 2022 and if the ground was right we may be tempted back there again”.

As an aside to this victory Christie and Cotter have combined three times this season and all three have won.

Unlucky when touched off at Lisronagh the David Kiely ridden Ooksoo (3-5) had little difficulty in going one place better in the concluding 6yr old and upwards geldings’ maiden. Kiely produced the very lightly raced 10yr old to lead at the third last and from here was clearly holding all the aces, going onto score by 8L from the Maeve Carlin partnered Josies Dylan (3-6-5).

The winner is trained by Paul Kiely (brother of the successful rider) at his Stradbally, Co Waterford base, speaking to the successful rider whose second winner this was in as many weeks, said: “Ah look, I got this fellow beaten the last day at Lisronagh, but sure look it came right today for us, he jumped and travelled everywhere for me, we may tip onto a winners’ race next but we may also go to the track with him”.

Trainer Maike Magnussen sent out her first winner from her new base at Tom Hogan’s yard, when her mare Nastya (2-4) went one place better than her Turtulla run back in November.

Partnered by Pa King, who always had this 5yr old mare in a prominent position in this eight runner mares’ maiden contest and when she joined issue at the apex of the home bend there really was only going to be one result as the progeny of Vendangeur eased clear. Despite a clumsy old jump at the last she had plenty in reserve to go in by 8L from the well beaten Madame Le’strange (6/4-4/6), the mount of Jamie Scallan.

A beaming Maike Magnussen was on hand to greet her winner whom she shares with Mark Molloy, who incidentally bred the winner also at his Crossogue Stud, based at Ballycahill Co Tipperary. Of the winner Maike said: “She had a great first run at Turtulla and she improved a fair bit for that, she is a great mare to jump, and is very gutsy and has plenty of scope. I will talk to Mark but I would imagine she will be sold now. Yes, that is my first winner from my new base, so it is great to have that monkey off my back, I’m enjoying things there at Tom’s so hopefully this will be the first of many, fingers crossed”.

Our opening contest on the card was a 4yr old mares’ maiden with victory here going to the Jonathan Fogarty trained debutante Flaming Grove (2-4), who ran out a very impressive 8L victory, under Conor Moore.

The daughter of Blue Bresil, a Land Rover sale purchase, was sent to the fore by Moore, racing away from the back of the third last and from here she was always containing her rivals, going onto eclipse the Jamie Scallan ridden Dramatic Encore (2-5) by 8L, with the gambled on Getaways Charm (4-7-3), under Sean Staples, some 3L further back in third.

Mikey Fogarty, representing his absent brother Jonathan said of the winner: “She is a mare that has shown us plenty at home and thankfully she backed it up today. She really appreciated the ground there and Conor was very good on her, I would imagine she will be sold now after that”.

Derek O’Connor was seen at his brilliant best when landing the eleven runner 5yr old geldings’ maiden on board the Ross O’Sullivan trained Jig’s Forge (6/4-6-5).

In rear for the most part of the contest, O’Connor still had ten rivals in front of him going into the wings of the fourth last. From here he made gradual progress to move into sixth at the third last still some 8L off the leaders. However, rounding the home bend and the €25k Land Rover sale purchase was now closing up with every stride and the recent Ballyragget third touched down on terms over the last, going on to eclipse Walking On A Dream (2-4) and Jack Hendrick by a widening 4L.

Ross O’Sullivan was absent on the day but a beaming Derek O’Connor said of this, his 21st winner of the current campaign: “He is a smashing horse who has improved with every run and that was a very professional performance by him, Ross is not here so I don’t really know what the plan is with him”.

Northern raider Neo King (3-9/27/2) ran out a very comfortable winner of the winners’ of two contest for which seven went to post.

Partnered by Noel McParlan, the 6yr old progeny of Coastal Path who finished second on his previous start in a Down Royal hunter chase was produced here by McParlan to reel in long-time leader Wine And Dine (4-10) going to the wings of the last. Once safely over this, asserted on the level to dismiss the Hannah Philips ridden runner-up Wine and Dine by 2.5L.

Loughanmore based trainer Caroline McCaldin trains the winner for her husband Alan, with her father Wilson Dennison also holding an interest, of the winner McCaldin said: “He was entitled to do that after the last day, he jumps, stays and tries his heart out. He is for sale as I have sixteen in and can’t keep them all”.

ONE TO FOLLOW... CONIVAL (ROBERT TECTOR)

This daughter of Walk In The Park was having her first run back after an absence of 357 days and she shaped well to finish fourth beaten 10L having tired somewhat from the back of the second last, granted nominal improvement a similar contest looks well within her grasp.

NEXT WEEKEND

This section comes with a Government health warning.

The Ballynoe fixture was unfortunately postponed on Sunday is the subject of a 3pm inspection on Monday and has been cancelled for next week. On Saturday next the Island Foxhounds race at Ballycrystal with the first off there at 2pm. On Sunday there’s at 2.30pm start at Stradbally where the Laois Foxhounds race, whilst up in Castletown-Geoghegan there is a 2pm start for the Westmeath Foxhounds meet. On the local Cork/Waterford circuit on Sunday the Duhallow Foxhounds race at Dromahane with the first due off there at 1.30pm.