Holokea proves to be a diamond

There was some stellar fare on offer at Sunday last’s well attended Muskerry Hunt point-to-point staged at Ballindenisk, Watergrasshill with this being the inaugural meet of the Muskerrys to be staged at this venue.

Trainer Garry Aherne has enjoyed a very good season to date with his relatively small string and he moved onto the six winner mark courtesy of Holokea (2-4), who sluiced up in the five runner winners contest, under a very polished spin from Eoin Mahon.

The 5yr old progeny of Diamond Boy supplemented his March maiden victory at Inch, by coming from off the pace here to lead over the second last and once in front he was not for stopping, despite getting under the last a little it mattered not as he powered home from the back of it going on to eclipse Salseros (3-5) and Josh Ahern by no less than 30L.

Garry Aherne was on hand to greet his winner whom he trains for Kilworth man Charlie Moore and of the imposing Holokea he said: “Sure look I ran him in Ballysteen last weekend when I shouldn’t have as the track there was just too tight for him, he really appreciated the bigger track here today, he will head on now to the Doncaster sale after this".

James Coffey (21) from Gurtacrue, Midleton rode his first career winner at Curraghmore a couple of weeks back, well he doubled his season’s tally by virtue of landing the concluding 6yr old and upwards geldings maiden for which twelve went to post.

Here Coffey teamed up with the Terence O’Brien trained Minella Staycation (3-5) with the 7yr old son of Beat Hollow landing on terms over the last with the John Barry partnered Southern Point (3-7/4) and in a drive to the death it was the Carrigtwohill raider who prevailed by 1L.

The winner who hails from the same family as dual bumper winner Minella Rescue was acquired by Terence O’Brien from John Nallen and from here O’Brien takes up the story: "That was mighty, he is a favourite horse in the yard and I got him for the lads in the yard to ride and he has been great for that job. James is the third different rider to have a spin on him and to be fair he gets a great tune out of him, I will hang on to him and he will go for a winners’ contest next. James is with me full-time, he is a smashing young man and that is his first winner for me and it is great that all his family are here today to support him".

One horse trainer Ballyduff man Vincent Sheehan saw his 6yr old Shirocco mare Onefortheditch (2-3-6/4) absolutely annihilate her fourteen rivals in the mares maiden going in by 15L.

Partnered by Darragh Allen, the previous handicap hurdle runner-up at Mallow back in October was always prominent here and Allen waited until two out before committing for home and within a matter of strides she had this contest put to bed. With a spring heeled leap at the last she bounded clear to dismiss the Michael Kenneally ridden Hardy Diamond (3-7) by 15L.

"She deserved that,” said successful trainer Vincent Sheehan. “She was unlucky the last day at Dromahane where she was brought down, but thankfully it all worked out today. Her mother (Backinthere) won four on the track for us and got black type but she won nothing until she was six just like this lady, so hopefully now we will go back to the track with her".

Earlier in the day John Barry had teamed up with Clonmel trainer John Nallen to land the second split of the 4yr old geldings maiden with debutante Minella Premier (2-3), with the son of Shantou running out a very impressive 12L winner.

The Tatts foal sale purchase Minella Premier touched down in front over the eleventh of the twelve fences jumped and once in front he was holding all the aces and once safely over the last he pulled right away to dismiss the David Doyle ridden Malinificent (4-7) by 12L.

"He is a proper horse,” said

John Nallen. “I bought him off Frank Motherway as a foal and he comes from a very old proper National Hunt family that goes back to Funcheon Dream. We worked him in Fairyhouse recently where he worked very well and I knew coming here we had a right chance, I would imagine he will be sold now after that".

Division one of the 4yr old maiden saw the Gearoid O’Loughlin owned/trained Cahiers Den (4-7) go in by 2L, under a power packed Bertie Finn drive.

On the climb to the second last and the Troy Walsh partnered Gillane (4-7) hit the front and the son of Shirocco looked the likely winner, however, Finn, who did well to survive a mid-race mistake, had by now conjured up another effort out of the son of Idaho. The front pairing touched down as one over the last and it was not until halfway up the run in that the €5K May store sale purchase Cahier’s Den asserted, going in by 2L from Gillane and Troy Walsh with a further break of 2.5L back to the luckless Pookie Holler (3-5) and Eoin Mahon, with this pairing getting badly hampered on the bend before turning in.

Gearóid O’Loughlin was on hand to greet his winner and of him he said: “Look he is hardy out and you would never get to the bottom of him, he jumps and stays. Kiltealy man James Nolan owns half of him with me, he is our local blocklayer and this is the first horse he has ever had, so hopefully he will go again now after this. I will talk there to James but I would imagine he will be sold now".

The 5yr old geldings’ maiden was also divided and in the first split a good old fashioned gamble was landed with the Jonathan Fogarty trained Coumeenoole who traded at 5/1 early shows before tightening up to 6/4 at the off.

Partnered by Barry O’Neill, he waited with the son of Harzand before launching his bid on the climb to the last where en route he eased on by the James Kenny partnered ultra-consistent Millforce (6/4-3) and with a fine leap at the last the debutante Coumeenoole drew away to score by an eased down 2.5L over Millforce.

Mikey Fogarty was on hand to represent his brother Jonathan and of the winner he said: “Look he is a smashing horse who has always shown plenty at home. His mother (Madam Bovary) has black type and he comes from a right good family, I would imagine he will go to a sale next".

When your luck is out it really is out and this was the case for Susie Doyle in the second division of the 5yr old geldings’ maiden, as having got the fractions right on board Peaceinthevalley (3-4) this pairing had bounded some 5L clear going into the wings of the last. However, the French bred got in under this, pitched on landing, giving Doyle no chance of keeping the partnership intact.

Their demise gifted the contest to the Nikki Stokes trained Beaufort Breeze (4-7), who under Tom Costello kept on resolutely from the back of the last to dismiss the Darragh Allen ridden Ballybough Nelson (3-6) by 2L.

Trainer Nikki Stokes was absent on the day but winning owner Jan Kennedy said: "We were lucky I guess, but we will take it, I don’t know where we will go from here to be honest. Full credit must go to Tom Costello as it was he who picked this lad as a foal and said to buy him and now he has got a winner off him".

Jan Kennedy is married to Tom Costello's aunt Michelle and this family affair was the younger Costello’s third point-to-point winner. He is 22 and is currently attached to the Willie Mullins yard.

Racing got underway with the eight runner 4yr old mares’ maiden with victory here going to the well touted Sean Doyle trained No Flies On Her and close relation to Eddie O’Grady’s recent graded winner No Flies On Him, who himself was a 4yr old maiden winner at Knockanard in 2023.

The €25k Derby sale purchase and daughter of Soldier Of Fortune powered to the front approaching the twelfth and final obstacle, under Jamie Scallan and once safely over this she went on to account for the John Barry ridden Princess Keri (2-3) by a comfortable 2L.

"This is a proper racehorse,” said Sean Doyle. “She does things so easily at home, jumps, stays, gallops and has gears, she is the real deal. She loved that track there today and will be going to a sale next".

ONE TO FOLLOW... UP KILLOUGHEY (SAM CURLING)

This 6yr old was having just his second start of his career to date and he ran a race rich in promise to finish a staying on fourth, beaten 22L having encountered some traffic problems at the business end of the contest. Granted nominal improvement he looks one to keep onside.