Wednesday, February 26, 2025
POIGNANT TRIBUTE
Cloudy Tuesday’s victory over the banks at Knockanard was dedicated to the late Michael O’Sullivan by winning owner and family member Irene Walsh Reports, pages 2-3
DEREK O’CONNOR
‘A highlight of the weekend action was winning debuts for several youngsters whosepromise is underlined by their pedigrees’ Page 4
FORTHFACTOR, bred by J O’Donoghue, won a 4YO bumper by 4¼ lengths first time out at Hereford on Sunday for Tom Weston Down Royal 4YO bumper winner MARLACOO, bred by Mrs Vera Deegan, won a maiden hurdle at Ayr on Monday for Tom Lacey
Cloudy Tuesdayand Turlough O’Connor (left) clear the double bank at Knockanard alongside Grange Island
TYNAN & ARMAGH AT FARMACAFFLEY SATURDAY
Winged Leader swoops closer to all-time record
REIGNING champion pointto-pointer Winged Leader landed his third successive Armagh open to take his total pointing victories to 29.
That puts David Christie’s 11-year-old only four behind Still William’s record of 33 for Helen Bryce Smith between 1959 and 1967.
Last year’s running of the Armagh open began an impressive run of 15 victories for Winged Leader but he had been beaten on his last two outings He bounced back to form in the Armagh Construction Ltdsponsored open just seven days after a narrow defeat at Oldtown as Barry O’Neill’s mount showed sufficient reserves to hold off Dorking Cock by a length
“He was a bit tired today as last week’s race took a bit out of him, but to come to the toughest track in Ireland, that was some performance,” said County Fermanagh-based Christie
“Where will we ever get one
Star performance
Bally Free belied his inexperience to run out a decisive 12-length winner of a 13-runner maiden
like him again? He may have had a hard race but the ones behind him will have had a harder one.”
The gelding, owned by John Hegarty and Jennifer O’Kane, is the first horse in 58 years to have had a realistic chance of breaking Still William’s record.
The long-standing O’NeillChristie partnership continued with a double when King In The Park landed the Philip White Tyres older geldings’ maiden.
The six-year-old cost €60,000 as a store for Harley Dunne, but he failed to be placed in nine starts for his Wexford handler, before joining Christie’s stable at the end of last year
Immediately improving by finishing placed at Kirkistown on his stable debut, the Walk In The Park gelding followed that up by holding off the effort of Vicomte Le Brave by a length
“He has loads of ability but saves so much for himself,” Christie said after his 12th victory of the season. “He’s having a fair blow too, so there will be improvement from that.
“This opens a lot of doors and we’ll work our way up and may end up in a Downpatrick hunter chase later in the year.”
Vicomte Le Brave’s owner, Wi ls on De nnis on, tw ice welcomed his colours into the winner’s enclosure, starting with the debut success of Skerr y Hi ll in th e WHR Accountants four-year-old maiden.
One of just three starters for this third running of the twoand-a-half-mile contest, a race first won in 2023 by the now six-time track winner Intense Approach, Oran McGill always had the son of Order Of St George to the fore.
AVONDHU AT KNOCKANARD SATURDAY
The Derry rider was able to steal the initiative from the second-last in a race-winning move which saw the pair finish eight lengths clear of fellow newcomer Bergamasquo
“I to ld Oran to us e his jumping to put them under pressure and try to fill him up wherever he could,” said winning handler Cor mac Abernethy after his first success of the season
“I really fancied him today and it was plain sailing the whole way round. He’s a very quick horse. He covers ground, so he’s alw ay s us in g his cruising speed. He can quicken off it as well as staying.” The Abernethy-McGillDennison partnership were
Curling’s Great Unknown reveals star quality
THE GREAT UNKNOWN was the star of the show at the resche duled Knockanard fixture as she came home as she pleased in the Riordan’s SuperValu and AIB Fermoy mares’ winners-of-one
Sam Curling’s recent Bellha rb ou r ma iden wi nne r tracked the front-running Margarita Grande in second spot on the outer Having blundered five out and then having to be pushed along briefly after the fourth-last, the six-year-old bounded to the front on the ascent from the penultimate fence
It was all relatively plain sailing from there as the daughter of Walk In The Park, a former 104-rated hurdler who also finished second in an October Killarney beginners’ chase when trained by Henry de Bromhead, came home with eight and a half lengths to spare over James Condon’s Crohan Lady.
The Great Unknown now represents Curling’s mother
Star performance
The Great Unknown continues to go from strength to strength and should soon be a player in mares’ open company
Ad eli a Gr ee r aft er the Skehanagh Stables handler paid €17,000 for the bay on her behalf at the Goffs December sale two months ago.
“She did it well and will stay pointing. She might take over from La Feline, who will be covered this year,” Curling said of The Great Unknown, whose dam is a half-sister to Eddie Harty’s Grade 1 winning novice chaser Coney Island.
“She’s a typical Walk In The Park with plenty of ability and it’s a pity my mother wasn’t here today.”
The Great Unknown’s rider, Derek O’Connor, earlier won on newcomer Best Trump, owned by JP McManus, in the Tattersalls Cheltenham and Coolagown Stud four-year-old maiden over
two and a half miles
The five-runner race was robbed of much of its interest when A Real Banter and Mister St Eloi came to grief four out.
Best Trump was hampered at that fence but closed on leader Canty’s Cove three out and touched down in front at the last before powering clear to beat that rival, the only other finisher, by seven and a half lengths
“My horses were sick a while ago and missed a month’s work
Best Trump is still as green as grass and I was delighted with
his performance,” O’Connor said of Best Trump, a €72,000 purchase from the 2024 Goffs Arkle sale who is out of a sister to Grade 1-placed chaser Winter Escape
Turlough O’Connor was another trainer-rider to have a winner when steering Cloudy Tuesday, whom he trains for his aunt Irene Walsh, to victory in the three and a half mile Coolmore and Grange Stud open over the banks course
A 2021 Thurles hunter chase winner, Cloudy Tuesday challenged on the descent to the
third-last of the 24 obstacles and the ten-year-old held on to beat Born By The Sea by half a length
Winning owner-breeder Walsh dedicated her victory to the late Cheltenham Festival
wi nnin g jo cke y Mi ch ae l O’Sullivan, nephew of her sister Ve ro nic a and her husband Eugene O’Sullivan. Ross Sugrue continued his purple patch by landing the Rathbarry Stud and Shinnick’s Spar five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Jonathan Fogarty’s Malayalam
Third on his previous start at Ballindenisk in December, the £60,000 2023 Goffs UK spring store sale acquisition led from the fifth-last to beat Mymilkman by three lengths
Eric Mellerick, from Killeagh, rode his first winner on Ken Budds’ mare Curraheen Queen in the Gain Equine Nutrition and Grove Stud six-year-old-andupwards novice riders’ maiden. Curaheen Queen, owned by Batt Leahy, went one better than at Castlelands last season, leading 100 yards out to beat Jetbob by two lengths
William Verling, a 19-yearold from nearby Castlelyons, also rode his first winner when Pure Decent , owned by his mother Catherine Verling, landed the Glenview Stud and McCarthy Insurance Group five-year-old-and-upwards adjacent hunts maiden. The ten-year-old Shantou gelding, trained by the rider’s uncle Pat Verling, made all the running to beat newcomer Could Be You by four lengths
Newcomer Soldierstown fends off Ready To Flow in the mares’ maiden
Turlough O’Connor trained and rode Cloudy Tuesday for victory in the TJ Magnier Memorial banks race for owner Irene Walsh
backinthe winner’senclosure half an hour later when Bally Free made an impressiveintroduction in theMcKinney Competitionsfive-year-old geldings’maiden.
All the pr e-r ace fo cus re vo lv ed arou nd Cl ou gh
Clouds after his debuteffortat Kirkistownwherehefinished fivelengths behindKempton bumper winner Bold Action.
However, he wasswiftly brushed asidebyBallyFree, who left him trailing12lengths havingtaken control of the race approachingthe final fence
“The stiff tracksuitedhim and, beingbyFlemensfirth,he lovedthe ground,”Abernethy said.
“Thatwas abig competitive field and Gerald Quinn’shorse [Clough Clouds] is no slouch, so for ourlad to come outand beat him first timeisbrilliant.
He’ll head to the sales nowwith ourother winner.”
Ross Crawfordhas ahunter chasenextmonth at Down Royalinmindfor Bold Fury, after the six-year-old gained a secondsuccessinthe Mullen Family winner-of-one
Second at TyrellainJanuary, the Califet geldingmadeevery inch of the running under regularrider Thomas Kileff to beat aback-to-formWeespoof by twolengths
TheBuchanan familyhave enjoyedgreat fortunes with the produce of the four-time winningracemareZaffarella, a daughter of Zaffaran who has producedhorses such as Malone Road, Windsor Avenue and Ravenhill Road.
Soldierstown washer latest offspring to winwhenShane Cotter guided hertoa threelength victoryoverReadyTo Fl ow in th eD alz ells of Ma rk ethil lB EKOm ar es’ maiden for Peter Buchanan.
Pappariche takesDoyle to 300careervictories
DONNCHADH DOYLEsaddled his 300th winnerbetween the flags when Pappariche made a winningdebut in the Fifty Stars and Masar at SunnyhillStud mares’ maiden
A€40,000 purchase from the 2023 Goffs Arkle sale,the James Walsh-riddendaughter of Mahler facedthree rivals on her introduction to competitiveaction and appeared to h victorysewn u comingtothe last,she was all outtohold on by ahead from the fastfinishin g Da lc ass ia n Girl
“It’sgreat to the 300thwin Doyle (right)said “James said she didn’tlikethe ground, butshe’s anicemareand jumps well. Herhomeworkhad been good,sowehoped she’ddo that, butIhoped therewould be moreinthe race.”
Star performance
Park Blue finished18 seconds quicker than the averagewinning time on thecardtomark himselfout as ahorse to follow
claim the CavanDevelopments five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Walk In The geldinghad ppedupatthe ottom bend at t he Cor k v en ue in Dec em be r, bu th is s upp or te rs h ad fe w oncerns as the ,000 De rby urchase was always holdingCause For Comment to winbyfour lengths in the hands of Jamie Scallan.
Doyle’s olderbrother Sean wasalsoamong the winners when Park Blue made amends for an unfortunatedeparture at Ballindenisk on his debutto
TIPPERARY AT LISRONAGH SUNDAY
“He’sabig horsewith abig engine and he did that very well,”Doyle said. “He’sbredby Frank Motherway, so hasa massive pedigree andIthink you could see this lad turning into averynicestayingchaser.”
That victorycompleted a
double for Tomhaggard rider Scallan after he hadearlier combinedwithMatty Flynn O’Connor to land the Goffs Ar kle Sa le fo ur-y ear-old maiden with Heldam
TheDoctor Dino geldingwas one of twoFrench-bredswho slipped the field off the home bendand Scallan’smount alwayshad themeasure of his closestpursuer Lord Rouge.
“He’sdoneeverythingright since we’vehad him and we knew we hadone with alive chance,” FlynnO’Connor said.
“The rightpeopleknew about himcominghereand he gotit done.”
IanMcCarthyiseyeingupa return to Punchestown for the Kildarevenue’s marquee spring festival with Fountain House after he proved too strong for sevenrivals in the Mongey Communications farmers’huntrace
Theseven-year-oldhad seen his winning runofthree come to an endwhen fourth in a Clonmel hunter chaselast month buthedid nothavelong to wait to regain the winning thread, as afoot-perfect round of jumpingunder Eoin Mahon sawhim master thechallenge of
main market rivalGaleForce Jet by sixlengths
“Thereare plenty of options wi th ah ors el ik et hi s,” McCarthy said.“We could go to Thurles for the maiden hunter chaseortoLingstown.Our main targetistoget backhere.”
ThePunchestown Racecourseopenfor novice riders wasthrownwide open when odds-on favourite Boss Robin partedcompanywith Patrick Gleesonatthe second fence. Theformer 140-rated chaser Plan Of Attack wasthe chief benefactor as HenrydeBromhead’s charge steppedforward from hisTallowreturntobeat Dromleigh by sixlengths “Hewas in greatform; it was some bu zz goingaround there,”winningriderHolly Dunne said. “I wasn’t goingto make it,but Ijusthad to when the pace dropped. He knows his joband I’mbuzzingtobe back with awinner.”
Cl onmel ha ndler Jo hn Nallen saddledhis firstwinner of the season when Minella Mission took advantage of a final-fence errorbynewcomer Arkhill to land the EMS Copiers older geldings’maiden under Adam Feeney
D’EstruvalputsCrystal Oceaninthe swim
LISRONAGH, the only oneof three Sunday fixturestobeat the elements,providedthe stagefor the first point-to-point success for Coolmore stallion Crystal Ocean
Colin Bowe saddled Cristal D’Estruval –who is only the thirdp ointingr unner in Ireland forthe 2019 Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner –toland the firs td iv is io no ft he Sladdagh Farmsfour-year-old geldings’maiden.
The€67,000 GoffsArkle sale purchase hadluckonhis side as the well-backedfavourite No Walkover held the advantage at the final fence butjumped to his left and continuedinthat direction up the run-in, surrenderingthe lead to his rival, who wonbyaneck.
“Cristal D’Estruval is alovely horseand Iwas going to go to Tinahely with him,but we came herewhen that was calledoff,” Bowe said. “Welike him at home and he’ll head on to the Cheltenham salesnow.” Bowe and BarryO’Neill also
Star performance
ClondawPark wasableto controlthe pacethanks to an exhibitionround of jumping,tocreateabig impressiononher debut
wondivision twoofthe maiden with Cooltobecareless,who costjust€6,000 eightmonths ago, andhis connections will seektoreapthe rewardsofthat shrewdinvestmentafter his one-length defeatofHot To Go O’Neill’sfeatwas matched by Kerryrider Ross Sugrue,who achieved the fourth double of his ca re er whe n Potters Voyage repelledawall of challengers in theConnollys Red Mills older maiden. Severalheldclaims jumping the second-lastbut theMichael Mangan-trainedsix-year-old putthe experience of five outings to good useinholding off the first-timer Manfromsnowyriver by ashorthead
That sonofSansFrontieres wassentoff at thetop of the
market,but the 23-year-old rider’s firstvictory wasless expectedwhenBrendaandtheboys spranga surpriseinthe Kirby’sPharmacyand Tattersalls IrelandDerby Sale fiveyear-old geldings’maiden. TrainedinAtheabyEoin
McCarthy,the Califet gelding hadpreviously gotnocloser than a23-length fifth at Tralee at the end of lastseason, which meanthewas the10-1 outsider However, he outran his odds by making much of the running to beat theRob James-trained
and -ridden newcomer Kicour La by half alength
“He’salovelyhorseand it’s just takenhim alongtime to grow up,” McCarthy said. “He’ll continue at this game for the rest of the season and we’ll see after that. I’mdelighted for the syndicate. They’refromNewry to Killarneyand Shane Tierney heads them up.”
James gothis revengeon Sugrue in the nextrace,the Knockanglass Stables and Orchardstown Stud five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden, when First Candidate denied Sugrue ahat-trickwitha twoand-a-half-length victory.
“She’s alovely mare and does everything smartly,”winning handler Donnchadh Doylesaid of the €75,000 Derbly sale purchase.“Shewasn’tcheap as astore, butshe’s good-looking and will head to the salesnow.” Mick Goff hadbeenresponsible for thetop-pricedIrish point-to-pointer at the Cheltenham sales48hours earlier, when his Kirkistown winner
Kanzler wasboughtbyHarold Kirk andWillie Mullins for £165,000, and ClondawPark capped off anotable weekend for his Wexfordstable when she landedthe Goffs Aintree Sale four-year-old mares’ maiden
Makingall therunninginthe stylesooften used successfully by the stable’srunners, the Walk In TheParkmareeasily acc ou nt ed for fello w newcomer Coolannabyeight lengths under Goff’s sonHarry.
“She’s averygood mare,” Goff said. “She jumps, travelsand staysand never came off it today. It wasa bigask forHarry to ride her,but he gave hera peach.”
Lastseason’sChampion Hunter Chase-third Lonesome Boatman enjoyedaconfidence-boosting successwhen he beat reigningchampion mare La Feline by eightlengths in th eC am as Pa rk and SummerhillStuds open for Araglen brothersSean and DarraghAllen
Pictures: HEALYRACING
Ross Sugrue completes adouble aboard PottersVoyage(left)inthe oldermaiden
,having hav up
ge nner, id “J
The W rk slip bo co €62 sale pu l h ld
DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint
Varietyaddsspice to pedigrees of impressive four-year-oldband
THE new four-year-old campaign is gettinginto top gear.Ahighlight of the weekend action at four venues waswinning debuts for several youngsters whose promiseisunderlinedbytheir pedigrees
Sunday’s Lisronaghfixture featured atriooffour-year-old maidens, the firsta mares’ event woningreat style by Clondaw Park, trained by Mick Goff and ridden positively by his sonHarry,whose ability Imentioned in arecent column. He settledthe daughterof Walk In TheParkintoagood rhythminher jumpingasshe made all the running foraneight-length win.
ClondawParkisout of awinning half-sisterbyTeofilo to Nichols Canyonand FujairaPrince,top performers on the Flat and over hurdles respectively. Nichols Canyon, aListedwinner on the Flat for John Gosden, woneight Grade 1 races,includingthe Stayers’Hurdle for Willie Mullins,while Fujaira Prince wonthe Ebor and finished second in the Irish St Legerin2020. Colin Bowe and BarryO’Neill won both divisions of the four-year-old geldings’maiden. Thefirstleg went to CristalD’Estruval, who gotthe better of agood battle with the wellfanciedNoWalkover
He’s outofamarewho wontwo Listed hurdle races for John Quinn and is afirstpoint-to-pointwinner for TheBeeches Stud stallion Crystal Ocean, winner of thePrinceof Wales’s Stakes
Cristal D’Estruval wasa€67,000 purchase at last year’s Goffs Arkle Sale at which his stablemate Cooltobecareless, winner of the second division, nowlooks abargain buyat€6,000.
TheMaxios geldingbattled well to beat the RobJames-trainedHot To Go,who is by the same stallion, best known as thesireofCheltenham Festival winners Gaelic Warrior and Quilixios.
Just because Cooltobecarelesswas pickedupcheaply as astore it would be amistaketothink he lacks pedigreecredentials as he’s outofa half-sistertothe St Legerand Ascot Gold Cupwinner LeadingLight. It’s a pedigreealsolinkedtospeed on the Flat, since his granddam Dance
Parade wonthe QueenMaryand the Fred Darling. That all seems alongway from a maiden point-to-pointinCounty Tipperary, butitgoestoshowthe sort of variety you cancome across in the pedigrees of young jumpers thesedays.
Matthew Flynn O’Connor’s Heldam,anattractive Doctor Dino gelding, w
‘Oran McGill dictated the paceon Skerry Hill, whowentcle when thetempo was raised’
favourite for the four-year-old maiden at the Kildaremeeting. He lived up to his reputation in beating PatDoyle’s promisingLordRouge by twolengths,with the pairdrawing well clear of the third.
He’s ahalf brother to DanSkelton’s good staying hurdler Gwennie May Boy, who wonthe Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydockearlier this month.Kieran McManusboughthim at the Goffs Arkle Sale last year and he hasthe makings of agoodstaying type.
He’s the second point-to-point winner for his dam sinceChristmas Modern Man, his half-brother by Milan, wasone of the lastfour-yearold winnersof2024 when providing Ellen Doylewith the second legofa brillianttrebleatthe Dromahane meetingonDecember30.
At the other end of the experience scale,therewas some interesting action in the open races at the weekend. After defeats at Turtulla and Oldtown, Winged Leader got backonthe winningtrail at Farmacaffley, recordinghis seventh successofthe season.
At Lisronagh, Lonesome Boatman, thirdinlastyear’s championship eventatthe Punchestown festival, bouncedbackfroma below-par hunter chaserun at Naas to winin good style,completingagood week for the Sean and DarraghAllen combination who wonahandicap hurdle at Punchestown with fourtime points winner Prophet’s Corner IanMcCarthy’sFountain House, ridden by Eoin Mahon, wasa convincingwinner of the confined race at the KildareHuntfixture, and I’msurewe’ll be seeinghim at the festival meetingatwhich he rana terrific race to finish second to KnockielSynge in lastseason’s Ladies’Cup
Heldam cost€110,000 at lastyear’s DerbySaleand is out of amarewho wonsix racesoverhurdles and a chaseinFranceafter tingher career as a o-year-old winner for Alain de Royer-Dupre. It’s another example of avariedpedigree. Only threeturned outfor the four-yearoldmaiden at armacaffleyand only ofinished. It wasa ppointingturnout, butthat wasunderstandable on demandingground conditions, and the race producedawinner of whom I’msurewe’ll hear more.
Oran McGill dictatedthe pace on the CormacAbernethy-trained Skerry Hill,who went clearwhen the tempowas raised beforethe straight and jumped the lastwell. Skerry Hill isbyOrder Of St George andhas a moretraditional Irish jumping pedigree.
He’s outofaFlemensfirthmare, Pescetto Lady, an unracedsisterto Burn And Turn, who wonsix races for JessicaHarringtonand is nowthe dam of Aruntothequeen, winner of a ListedbumperatGowranlast Octoberfor the Harringtonteam. Only twofinishedthe four-year-old maiden at Knockanard.Fiveset out, butwelosttwo of them at the fourthlast whereIwas left in second on Best Trump, aWalk In TheParkI’m trainingfor JP McManus. Despite being slightly hampered Iwas able to closethe gaponthe clear leader.I waitedtochallenge at the last and Best Trumpkept on well.
He’s unbeaten in four hunter chases this season, and turnedthe tables on Knockiel Syngewhen scoringoverthe banksatLingstown in November.Meanwhile, Knockanard’s banks race on Saturday waswon by Cloudy Tuesday, trained and ridden by Turlough O’Connor who ledatthe last of 24 obstacles to beat Born By TheSea
Finally, congratulations to two young riders whoenjoyed afirst successonthe Knockanard card,Eric Mellerickonthe KenBudds-trained Curraheen Queen, and William Verling on Pure Decent, trainedby his uncle PatVerling, the former jockeyand trainer whoseCastlelyons Stud hasagreat reputation for producingyoung horses.
HEALYRACING
Heldam,a €110,000 purchase at last year’s DerbySale, on his waytovictory in thefour-year-old maiden at Punchestown
The fastest timeof theday!
4YO Geldings Maiden, Lisronagh
1CRISTAL D’ESTRUVAL (IRE) B O’Neill
CRYSTAL OCEAN – AURORE D’ESTRUVAL
Milestone Bloodstock Ltd Colin Bowe
2NOWALKOVER (GB) A P Ryan
POET’S WORD – NO PUSHOVER
Mrs Sharon Slattery Andrew Slattery
3HAVEUGOTMYNUMBER (IRE) E M Nugent
WALK IN THE PARK – DALILA DU SEUIL
J.P. McManus Derek O’Connor
Other
leading handlers with first crop 4YOs include...
· Derek O’Connor
· Robert Tector
· Liam Kenny
· Eamonn M. Doyle
· Denis Paul Murphy
· Cormac Doyle
· William Ross Crawford
· Aidan Fitzgerald
· Sam Curling
· R.J. McGrath
· Mark Anthony Stafford
· Andrew Slattery
· Margaret Mullins
· John Luke Murphy
· Patrick Eugene Turley
· Pierce Power
· Robert James
· Jimmy Kelly
· Denis Hogan
First crop winners also include 8½-length first-time-out bumper winner WATAMU and impressive hurdle winner in France SAINT CRYSTAL
World Champion Racehorse by SEA THE STARS