Sacre bleu...

With the weather continuing to wreak havoc on sporting fixtures throughout the country, it came as some relief to pointto-point trainers that a replacement fixture hastily organised for Ballycrystal, Co Wexford on Saturday last went ahead. Despite heavy, tacky ground some eighty-three horses contested the eight races run on the day and with some very exciting racing the large crowd on the day were well catered for.

Trainer Sam Curling looks to have unearthed a very decent prospect in the shape of Kara Sacre (2-5/4) who ran out a very impressive winner of the second division of the opening 4yr old maiden.

Partnered by Derek O’Connor, the Karatar progeny out of an own sister to Sprinter Sacre always caught the eye in running and when given the hurry up on the run to the third last the writing was on the walls for his seven rivals, he got in deep to this and lost a little momentum. But O’Connor quickly had him back on an even keel and with two good leaps over the last two obstacles he duly went on to eclipse the Tiernan Power Roche ridden Little Beast (3-5) by an eased down 6L.

Of the winner who raced in ear plugs trainer Sam Curling said: "He is a lovely horse to be fair, he has always shown plenty at home has a great attitude and will make a lovely track horse an ideal two mile horse. He is the first of my 4yr olds, I have some very nice ones to run but all mine were a bit slow to come to hand but they will be out from now on".

Division one of this opening 4yr old contest saw Rob James record the first of his three winners on the day as he steered the Donnchadh Doyle trained debutante Fruit De Mer (3-4-3) sluice up by 16L in a contest where only two of the eight starters completed.

James sent the eventual winner on with over half a mile to race and from here the imposing son of Pour Moi was not for catching, going onto score impressively by 16L from Paul Collins (2-3), the mount of Barry O’Neill.

This winner was greeted to rapturous applause from Susan James (Rob’s sister) who owns half the winner along with Jack Doyle (Pat Doyle’s son) and of her very first winner she said: "We always liked this lad at home and fancied him to run well here today, he came out of the Goffs Arkle sale and we gave €30k for him and he will go back to a sale now after that, this is my first ever winner having had numerous placed horses before this is some buzz," concluded an elated Susan James.

Rob James was back in the winners enclosure half an hour later as he steered the David O’Brien (Piltown) trained Cloonainra (4-7) to a comfortable 2.5L victory in the fifteen runner 5 and 6yr old mares maiden.

A faller on debut at Lisronagh back in November the daughter of Financial Reward made no mistakes here coming through to lead on the climb to the second last and once in front she was not for stopping, going on to account for Loud And Proud (2-4), the mount of Barry O’Neill, with 2.5L between the pairing.

"She is a lovely mare," declared successful trainer David O Brien. "She got a heavy old fall at Lisronagh and cracked ribs there, but the break did her the power of good as she strengthened up big time, I will talk to the owner there now (Bill Cuddihy, from Mayo, living in Piltown) and see where we go from here, she is for sale but I wouldn't mind giving her a spin in a bumper as she has plenty of ability".

The Rob James hat-trick was completed in the mares open lightweight contest, however, by his own admission he was lucky to collect.

From the outset the Mikey Sweeney ridden Mick Goff trained Peggy Gordon (2-5/2), who was seeking her fourth win of the season to date, set out to make every post a winning one and this tactic looked like paying handsome dividends as going to the wings of the fifteenth and final obstacle she was 4L clear of her nearest rival. However, she put down at this and banked it completely with Sweeney doing a remarkable job to stay in the plate. But she lost very valuable momentum allowing the Rob James partnered Millie Supreme (3-4-5/2) a second bite of the cherry and in a drive to the death it was the daughter of Soldier Of Fortune who prevailed by half a length.

With trainer Donnchadh Doyle himself knocked out it was Rob James who did the talking and of the winner he said: "I was so lucky there, Mick’s horse would have won but credit to my mare she battled away well on tacky old ground she hated, she will tip up in another one of these mares opens again".

This treble now puts James on the twenty five winner mark for the season, just one behind Barry O’Neill, in the jockeys championship.

Landowner and trainer Mattie Flynn O’Connor trained a double on the day and he completed his brace with Je Viens Du Large (2-3) who dotted up in the winners’ of one contest and in taking this the 5yr old French bred by Great Pretender also lost his maiden tag.

Partnered by Brian Lawless, the recent Monksgrange second was held up in the early part of the contest before making gradual progress to lead racing off the home bend and he had this contest in safe keeping when his nearest rival Asphalt Cowboy (4-7) ducked out at the last when some 12L in arrears, his demise saw the only other finisher The Brickey Ranger (3-6) and David Kiely take the runner-up spot some 56L in arrears of the winner.

A delighted Mattie O’Connor was on hand to greet the winner stating: "We met a right one the last day in Cormac’s at Monksgrange, I gave €80k for him at the Land Rover sale and he will be sold after that".

Earlier in the day O’Connor and Lawless teamed up to record a facile victory with Rucker Road (6/45/2-6/4), who ran out a 4L winner of the second split of the 5yr old geldings maiden without ever coming out of second gear.

Lawless was content to sit in rear for most of the contest before making gradual progress to lead on the climb to the third last and from here the €30k Land Rover sale purchase was holding all the aces and duly went on to eclipse El Toro Rocco (4-8) and F Gillen by an unextended 4L.

"He was unlucky in Lisronagh as he got done three out and lost a rake of ground, but flew home and I did fancy him here today. He is a big strong horse who loved that ground and will go back to a sale next".

Division one of the 5yr old geldings maiden saw the Luke Murphy ridden/trained debutante Committee Meeting (4-7) run out a 1.5L winner.

Murphy had the progeny of Yeats in mid division for the most part of the contest before coming through to lead away from the back of the second last and from here was always holding the late challenge of Too Cool Forshrule (3-5), the mount of Derek O’Connor.

With his trainer’s hat on Luke Murphy said of the son of Yeats: "Myself and James Kenny bought him at the Tatts May sale for €10k, he is a very nice horse, he ran well on debut at Lingstown and he stepped forward nicely for that, we will go to a sale now with him".

The concluding 6yr old and upwards maiden saw two Cork trained horses fight out the finish with victory going to the Denis Ahern trained Mick The Soldier (3-6), who ran out an 8L victor in the hands of Michael Kenneally.

Kenneally had the son of Soldier Of Fortune to the fore from the drop of the flag and to his credit he kept up the relentless gallop. His main rival emerged on the climb to the third last as Darragh Mulcahy produced Johns Delight (2-3-2) with a wet sail to close to within 4L. However, he failed to raise the tempo further and with Mick The Soldier showing no signs of stopping he duly went on to pop the last two obstacles, going onto eclipse the James Sheehan trained John’s Delight by 8L.

"He was entitled to do that after his first run at Dromahane (second)," said a delighted Denis Ahern. “I ran him in Mallow the last day and he never raised a gallop in the bumper but he looked a different prospect there now and Michael gave him a grand spin, it’s a fright to come all the way up here to beat my neighbour but sure that is how it goes, this lad is for sale so we will play it by ear after this".

ONE TO FOLLOW... TOO COOL FORSHRULE (PETER CROKE)

This 5yr old gelding was having his second start here having pulled up on debut at Tinahely. The progeny of Watar ran very keenly throughout and having been prominent for the most part he lost his pitch well before three out before staying on again in good fashion and ran right through the line to indicate that his turn is imminent.