Scobie gets his wish...

Britway jockey Shane Cotter is enjoying a stellar season in the plate and on Saturday last he took another giant stride in his quest to be crowned champion novice rider for the 2023-24 season as he closed to within one winner (11-10) of Dara McGill, as the East Cork man struck in our concluding contest, landing the 6yr old and upwards maiden for novice riders for which fourteen went to post.

Cotter teamed up with trainer Denis Murphy to land this with the well supported Fralimonti Bilbery (2-5/2-5/4) who stepped forward from his fourth placed effort at Tattersalls back in October. The French bred raced prominently throughout in what was a grief stricken contest but when Cotter gave the eventual winner the hurry up on the landing side of the second last it was game over, as the 6yr old bounded clear and with a spring heeled leap at the last he duly went on to score by an unextended 10L from Thisthatandd’other (4-7), the mount of JP Murray.

"That was super," said Bernice Murphy representing the absent Denis Murphy. "He ran well back in October at Tatts but we had to give him a break to wait for his ground, he will more than likely go for a winners of one next".

The winner was completing an across the card treble for trainer Denis Murphy who scored a double up North at Loughanmore.

Carlow domiciled trainer Aidan "Scobie" Fitzgerald is actually a native of Ballysteen and he kept the home supporters happy by saddling two winners at the Co Limerick venue.

Both winners were partnered by Troy Walsh and the combination completed their brace as the €42k Tatts sale purchase Queens Wish (3-6/4) ran out a very impressive winner of the twelve runner 4yr old mares maiden.

Always prominent under Walsh, the daughter of Shantou who hails from the same family as Kerry Grand National winner Potters Point, was in total control from before two out here and she duly obliged with the minimum of fuss going onto score by 6L from Somethingtosomeone (3-7) the mount of Joey Dunne.

"This is a very special mare," said successful trainer Aidan Fitzgerald. "I really wanted to have a winner here on my home track and I was waiting two months for today so I am delighted it worked out, she is a very, very good mare who does everything so easily, look she will go back to a sale next".

Half an hour earlier Fitzgerald and Walsh combined to land the second split of the opening 4yr old geldings’ maiden with the well supported Nadias Boy (3-6/4) who ran out a comfortable 2.5L victor.

The eventual winner asserted from the back of the third last and from here she was holding all the aces and repelled all challengers before going onto eclipse Jack Hoola (2-3) and Ray Barron by 2.5L.

The winner, who was bred by Niall Flynn and is out of his good race mare Just Janice, "Is not for sale" commented Aidan Fitzgerald. "He will get a break now and will go to Willie Mullins where he will be aimed at a bumper in the autumn".

The first split of the 4yr old geldings’ maiden saw the leader and his nearest pursuer both crash out independently at the second last whilst the then new leader then crashed out at the last, thus gifting the contest to the Joey Dunne ridden Sign Again (3-7) who then ran out a 4.5L victor in the colours of owner/trainer Robert Tector from Rathnure.

Going to the second last in this contest the Pa King ridden Cosmos D’ainay (2-4) led by 2L only to fall here, his nearest pursuer the Ray Barron ridden Burncourt Boy (3-5) also crashed out, this left the Harry Swan ridden George’s Lad (3-5) in front as he also crashed out and his demise gifted the contest to Sign Again.

"He is a lovely horse with a decent page," said successful trainer Robert Tector. "This is my first 4yr old winner and it is great to have that monkey off my back. He will go to a sale now after that".

Fourteen horses contested the 5yr old geldings’ maiden and plenty of these were well supported at the books, however victory here went to the Harry Goff ridden Way down South who was virtually friendless in the market going off at 7/1 (from 3/1).

From the outset in this contest the Luke Murphy ridden Newtown Rambler (3-4-2) set off at a good clip and at one stage had some 12L to spare over the remainder. As the race unfolded the long-time leader Newtown Rambler had many of these put to the sword by three out and his strong gallop from the front looked as if was going to pay dividends. On the downhill run, away from the back of the second last and Harry Goff conjured up one run out of the eventual winner as he hit the front on the level after the last and the son of Ocovango battled on bravely to hold the rallying Newtown Rambler by half a length.

The €8k Goffs February 2020 yearling sale purchase is owned jointly by Dick Frisby and trainer Mick Goff and trainer/proud father Mick Goff was on hand and of the winner he said "I am delighted for Harry, he works hard at it and he gave him a peach of a spin, this fellow ran well at Ballycrystal the last day and he really appreciated the good ground here today, I will talk to Dick and see where we go next".

Shanballymore trainer John O’Donovan sent out Wise Move (4/6-5/4-ev) to land the Open Lightweight contest under an ice cool ride from regular partner Joanna Walton.

Having raced in mid division for the most part of the contest Walton was content to sit 3L off the three leaders racing across the top of track and she waited until safely over the second last before launching her effort. Within a matter of strides he had bounded clear and with a good jump at the last the 6yr old progeny went on to record his fourth win of the current campaign going in by 2L from the staying on Visioman (3-5), the mount of Troy Walsh.

Trainer John O’Donovan was absent on the day but was represented by his son Chris and of the winner he said, "He is a right horse, honest and tough and fair play to Joanna she gave him a grand spin. We might go to the track next with him but equally he might go to a sale".

Another horse who benefitted from the better ground was the Harry Kelly (Fethard) trained Now So Jake (6/4-3-5/2) who ran out a very easy 6L winner of the winners of two contest.

Partnered by Pa King the 6yr old son of Mahler an Adjacent hunt maiden winner at Turtulla back in January did this with the minimum of fuss coming through to lead two out and from here drew away to score by a very easy 6L from Nothingtodowithyou (4-8) P Gleeson.

"We just had to wait for ground," said successful trainer Harry Kelly. "He is a very classy type, he hated the ground at Turtulla but his class got him through that day. He is from a right good family, his mother (Padraigs Joy) won a good few for us and this lad will go to the track next and enjoy a summer campaign. I am delighted for his owner/ breeder John Palmer, John has been a great supporter of mine down through the years so it is great that this lad has done the business".

ONE TO FOLLOW... BURNCOURT BOY (TOM KEATING)

This 4yr old son of Shirocco made his debut here and he was traveling with purpose going down to the second last only to tip up here, and if none the worse for his spill he looks well capable of landing a similar type contest.