Point-to-Point Weekly 01-0-23

SOUL STAR

The filly Break My Soul puts the geldings in their place with victory at Tinahely Reports, pages 2-3

DEREK O’CONNOR

‘Mikey O’Connor reached another milestone in agreat career when he joined Enda Bolger on 413 winners with Rookery Woods at Bandon’ Page 4

2022/23 Leading Active NH Sires

Intense Approach jumps into history

FARMACAFFLEY may be one of the oldest point-to-point venues in the calendar with a history stretching back to 1895, but new ground was broken last weekend when it hosted its first four-year-old maiden.

And it wa s In tens e Approach who wrote his name into the latest chapter of the undulating Armagh track when he became the first winner of the WHR Accountants-sponsored maiden over two and a half miles.

The one-and-a-half-length defeat of One More Stroke was also a first point-to-point success for the progeny of the 2015 Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs

“We thought a lot of him coming here and he showed it there,” rider Dara McGill said. “He looked the full package the way he jumped, travelled, and fought. He’ll make a lovely horse for the future and will now be bound for the sales.”

Star performance

Intense Approach produced a polished display on his debut to continue the good fortune of the Warren Ewing stable this season

The Maghera rider increased his advantage in the under-21 title race to four wins when adding the Philip White Tyres older geldings’ maiden to his day’s successes.

Us in g the sa me fr on trunning tactics on Colin McKeever’s Ballylinch, an improved round of jumping proved key to the six-year-old’s two-length defeat of Clarabello, with many of the Califet gelding’s eight previous efforts havin g bee n bli gh te d by jumping errors

“He’s a good horse whose jumping has let him down on occasions,” McKeever said.

“We seem to have that ironed

out and I’d say we will stay down the point-to-point route.”

Mc Gi ll sh ar ed ri din g honours with Barry O’Neill, who also rode a double that began with the victory of Carrigeen Castle in the Mullan Family hunt winners’ race

The Claire Watson-owned Doyen gelding was a disappointing favourite on his return to pointing at Tinahely in January, but his supporters’ money did not go astray a second time as he comfortably dismissed the challenge of the newcomer Drumconnor Storm by eight lengths

Dublin handler Tom Dreaper intends to keep the seven-yearold to the point-to-point fields, bu t bi gger tar gets aw ait Wing ed Lead er af ter h e completed O’Neill’s double in the Armagh Construction Ltd open.

The David Christie-trained nine-year-old was runner-up in the St James’s Place Festival

TIPPERARY AT LISRONAGH SUNDAY

Hunters’ Chase at last year’s Cheltenham festival, and made a winning return to action at Cragmore last month

He scarcely had a moment’s concern in dismissing Hear No Evil by 11 lengths for his second victory this season.

“There maybe wasn’t much opposition today, but it was good to see him get out and strut his stuff again,” David Christie junior said.

“They went a good gallop and the quicker the gallop, the

better he is At the minute, Vaucelet is more likely to go to Cheltenham, and perhaps the Aintree Foxhunters could be this lad’s plan.”

Gerald Quinn sent out his first winner of the season when Ca d ou dal Sain t ma de a wi nn in g de bu t in the McKinney Motors five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Being out of a Listed winner who is a half-sister to the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup hero Madison Du Berlais, the grey

had cost connections €45,000 as a foal and they are set to offer him for sale after he beat Now Go Soldier Go by two lengths

Stuart Crawford’s Larne stable dominated the Donnelly Br os Du ng annon ma re s’ maiden when saddling the first two horses home.

Crawford’s younger brother Ben rode the Trish Hassettowned Brief Statement, who returned seven lengths clear of her stablemate Ask Isabella.

Le Malin makes it mission accomplished

COUNTY DOWN trainer Sean McParlan made the 430-mile round trip from Crossgar to Tipperary with one objective –to secure a deadline-day qualification to the Cheltenham Festival hunter chase for Le Malin

On the eve of the entryclosing date his nine-year-old made sure the mission was accomplished by beating recent Bellharbour winner Somptueux by an impressive 11 le ng th s in the Ki rb ys Pharmacy open.

“He’s booked his ticket for Cheltenham now,” McParlan said of the French import “He had to win today to qualify for the Foxhunters [St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase].

“It’ll be nice to get a trip to Cheltenham and he won’t be disgraced. It took us three and a half hours to get here, but it’ll be a short run home now!”

Somptueux’s rider Derek O’Connor had better luck when teaming up with Ellmarie Holden’s Intrepide Sivola in the Connolly’s Red Mills fiveyear-old geldings’ maiden, the first leg of a double for the jockey.

Star performance

Bill Joyce justified the high opinion in which connections hold him with a winning debut

Th e French-bred ma de amen ds for his re cen t mid-race departure at Knockanard when fending off the challenge of a back-to-form Ballyfort by two lengths, and will now be sold

The 11-time champion rider the n co mb ined wi th his brother Paurick to land the Camas Park & Summerhill

Studs older maiden with Hobie

Showing the benefit of his debut when 33 lengths behind What’s Up Darling at Quakerstown in December, the Coastal Path gelding was left clear by the departure of the challenging Greyrobin Star and jockey Tiernan Power at the final fence to return five lengths clear of Burtown.

Power had earlier been among the winners when he guided Bill Joyce to a winning debut in the Tattersalls NH &

The Wexford rider had sent the Benny Walsh-trained Mahler gelding to the front with four to jump and he was always holding his rivals from there on to beat Express

Surprise by three-quarters of a length

“Walter Kent bought him and he was going to go for the Derby Sale but missed it because he got a bit of a niggle,” said Jenny Walsh, wife of the winning handler “He was supposed to go back

for the July Sale but he missed that as well. Thankfully for us, he missed those sales, because we got a half share in him then, and the rest is history. He’s the nicest horse we have in the yard and, hopefully, the real deal.”

Lady Balko had fortune on

her side in the Knockanglass Stables & Orchardstown Stud four-year-old mares’ maiden, as she was in fourth coming to the final fence only for the favourite Champersinthepark to fall and bring down Mozzies Sister Brian Lawless’s mount took full advantage to overhaul Main Stage on the run-in to win by a half a length

“You need a bit of luck sometimes,” handler Matthew Flynn O’Connor said. “My lot have been sick for the last couple of weeks, so it’s just been a case of trial and error with them.”

There was further success for Wexford stables when the Rathnure-based Robert Tector saddled Either Or to gain a deserved success in the 4 Front Health & Safety Solutions and Gain Equine Nutrition fiveand six-y ea r- old ma re s’ maiden.

The daughter of Affinisea made amends for her surprise defeat at Ballinaboola three weeks earlier by accounting for What A Flirth by half a length in the hands of Liam Gilligan.

Premier Claims Management fo ur -y ear-old ge ldin gs ’ maiden.

Intrepide Sivola wins the five-year-old geldings’ maiden to initiate a double for Derek O’Connor

O’Sullivan showsDashing familytrait with firstdouble

MICHAELO’SULLIVAN has been makingheadlinessince joiningthe professional ranks last year and his younger brother Alan is alsomaking wavesbyridinghis firstdouble

It wasinitiated on his uncle Eugene O’Sullivan’s Dashing Perk in the Barryroe Co-op & Chris McCarthy Greenbuild novice riders’open.

The12-year-old, whowas placedinfourout of his five previous startsthis season, joined thepacesettingWar Call after twoout,fromwherethe former dual British track scorer forge dc lear on the lo ng approach to the final fence be forew innin gb ye ig ht lengths

“It’sgreat that he’s wonand he’ll probably nowrun in another openintwo to three weeks’time,”saidthe winning handler, representinghis sister-in-lawIrene Walsh.

BRAY AT TINAHELY SUNDAY

LOUGHDERGSPIRIT could tacklethe Grand National fences at Aintreenextmonth after trainer Denis Murphysaid the Foxhunters wasapossible target followingvictory in the Dara FitzpatrickMemorial open for novice riders

A16-length winner of the correspondingrace 12 months ea rl ie r, th e1 1-y ear-old Westerner gelding, whohad started his career winningan Athlaccamaidenin2016 before asix-yearspell in Britain, pickedoff the pacesetting veteran Solomn Grundy from the penultimatefence under Joey Dunne to winbythree and ahalf lengths.

“Wehad him as ababy, then he wassoldand we boughthim ba ck for my mother [Catherine],”Murphysaid.

“Hehas been consistentand is agood fun horse.Wemight try atriptoAintree now.”

That victorycompleteda double for the Ballyboystables handler,who achieved the rare featofsaddlingabrace at each of the four fixtures staged at FairwoodParkthis season He hadearlier sent out BreakMySoul to winthe Tattersalls NH, Seamus Magee PlantHire& Hunt Supporter four-year-old maiden Market supportwas backed up by aperformance to justify the high regard in which

Alan O’Sullivan completed his doub le on the Mi ke y Kennedy-trained Dundaniel in the KevinO’LearyGroup & McLaughlins MedicalHall Bandon winners-of-one

Theeight-year-old atoned for pullinguponhis previous start at Aghabullogue by makinghis waypastlong-time leader Golden De Coeur on the approachtothe final fence Dundaniel,owned by the executors of the late Pat O’Driscoll, this meeting’s landow ner who diedlast September, was always on top beforecomingclear to beat the ultra-consistent Nice To Meet by eightlengths.

In the absence of handler Ke nne dy ,w ho wa sa t Lisronagh, the meeting’s chairman Paddy McCarthy,a long-standingfriendofthe O’Driscoll family,said: “Pat must have been lookingdown

Star performance

HiddenHistory comfortably hadthe measureofhis rivals to open hisaccount at thefirst time of asking

on us today. gr ea tt h a Dundaniel has wonhereand he wi ll probably now go for another winners’race.”

Mi ke y O’Connor is i the middle o purple patchan seentogreat effect when bringingnewcomer Rookery Woods,the first horse he has trainedfor owner-breeder Liam SheahanofGortnatona Stud, Killarney, from well off the pacetoland the Glenview.

ie older geldings’maiden.

Thesix-year-old could be calledthe winner from the second-lastbeforetaking command before the last to beat Dundaniel’s year-younger brother Dunworleybyfour alf lengths

He’saverynice orseand he’ll n ow go for a winners’race, bu tI thin k he ’ll wi na bu mp er on good ground,” aid O’Connor, h om ov ed n gside En da gn fifth position on the all-time winners’ board.

Thevastmajority of local interestrevolved around the SpringmountStud&AIB Bank adjacenthunts’maiden and On Lovers Walk stepped

forwardsfromfinishingfourth in asimilar race at Ballyvodock by coming home as he pleased under DarraghHiggins

Thesix-year-old is trainedby Macroom-based handler Gerry Kelleher for his nieces,Abigail and Lucy Kelleher

SamCurling’s newcomer Hidden History (left),ason of Schiaparelli, pickedupthe runningbeforethe last under Pa King to repelIBallyadam Moon in the TattersallsNH five-year-old geldings’maiden to winbytwo lengths

Lilian Bland, the only horse owner-trainer Niall Hennessy ha si nh arnes s, pu th er hurdling experiencetogood useonher pointing debutin the Bandon Motors &Bandon Co- op ma re s’ ma id en by makingevery yard of the runningfor James Hannonto beat Glendaars Fortune by a neck.

LoughDergSpiritearns Aintreetrip

Star performance

BreakMySoul followedin thefootsteps of subsequent Graded winners Brandy Love and Telmesomethinggirl by beatinggeldingsina

February four-year-old maiden

connections holdthe Doyen mare as she quickenedaway from her rivals on the climbto the final fence to beat John Paul Brennan’snewcomerElectric Masonbyalength and ahalf

“She came from the late Pat Coffey’s dispersal sale. He and his nephewPatrick were abig part of the team for many years and it’s greattostill have a connection with them now they’reboth gone,” Murphy said,with his earlier winner Lough Derg Spirit having startedhis career in Coffey’s greenand yellow silks.

Mu rph yc ame clos et o addinganinth Tinahely winof the season when Joie More was narrowly denied in the Devils GlenEquestrian& National Hunt Schoolingfive-year-old geldings’maiden.

Style Humor and Lesssaidthebetter “That wasagreat ride,” handlerWillieMurphy said “Moira took her timeand let everything unfold in frontof her,whichwas the plan. Maybe we will head to the Gain Final next. We’vehad loads of placed horses,soit’sgreat to geta winner again.”

TheGain FinalatBallynoe on March26could alsobenext on the agendafor Fortune Dancer after she stepped up from ap ro misin grec ent performance at Comea to run outa six-lengthwinnerofthe Biddy O’Donnell Memorial mares’ maiden for Jamie Scallen and Sean Doyle

TheWalsh familygavelocal supporters plenty to cheer ab ou tw hen Ba rr yWalsh steeredhis father John’s Forest Breeze to an easyvictory in the John RFitzpatrickAgricultural Contractor older maiden.

TheQuestFor Peace gelding wasnot winningout of turn as he followed up twoconsecutivesecond places at Borris Houseand Turtulla by crossing the line 12 lengths clear of the long-time leader Linden Blaze.

Jack Hendrick’s mountcould not repelthe challenge of an improved RedNotice,who stepped up from amid-season break for BarryO’Neill and Colin Bowe

Pictures: HEALYRACING

Intense Approach (left) becomes the inaugural Farmacaffleyfour-year-old maidenwinner andearns his sire JackHobbs afirstpointto-pointsuccess

Therewas asimilarly tight finish to the John Durkan Memorial winners-of-two when ju st ov er al en gth se parat ed th ef irstt hree home

Atacticalmasterclassfrom MoiraMcElligott sawher produce the coursewinner Elusive Mae beforethe last fence to get the better of recent Ballinaboolawinners Old

Lough Derg Spirit wins theopenfor novice riders to complete adoublefor handlerDenis Murphy

DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint IrishDerby winner Jack Hobbs hasfirstpoint-to-pointsuccess

OVER the last20yearsor so during my riding career I’ve seen alot of sires come and go on the point-to-point scene

When Iwas akid thegreat Deep Runwas producingahugenumber of winners. After his dominance endedand when Iwas startingto ride,StrongGale,BeMyNativeand Supreme Leader were the bignames

As far as Iknow, 2003 wasthe first year the leadingsirewas recognised at the annual point-to-pointawards ceremony. Thewinner wasRoselier, aformer French ChampionHurdle winner who stood at the Knockhouse Stud in Kilkenny.

He hadareputation for getting horses who stayed really well.

Carvill’s Hill and the Grand National winner RoyalAthlete came from his firstcrop.

MisterLord, Supreme Leader,Lord Americo,Oscar and Presentingwon point-to-pointsires’championships duringmyearlydaysasa rider

Presentingwas the firsthorse to win back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008. Since then we’vehad six differentchampions,the twomost recentbeing Shirocco and Mahler

Beneficial, asuccessortoRoselier at KnockhouseStud, hadamassive influenceonpointing-to-point, winningseven titles between 2009 and 2017. Oscar, whosharedthe title with Lord Americo in 2006, wonit outright in 2012. Flemensfirth was the champion in 2018 and 2020. Getawaygot his turn in 2019.

In addition to thosealready mentioned, the likes of Ask, Court Cave,Doyen,FameAnd Glory, Soldier Of Fortune and Walk In The Park have made abig impact in recentseasons

With the greateropportunities of the last decade or so Flemensfirth, Beneficial, Presentingand Oscar, each responsible for morethan400 point-to-pointwins,haveleft the likes of Roselier,Supreme Leader and Over TheRiver well behind in races won.

It’s ameasure of howmuch more racingtherehas beensince the autumn campaign wasintroduced that Deep Runisnow in ninth place inthe all-time point-to-pointsires’ list, his 274 wins beingjustover200 shortofthe record-breakingtotal nowheldbyFlemensfirth.

Everyseason brings anew crop of sires to thesport,and it’s always fascinatingtosee howtheyget on, initially in the sales ring andthen on the track.

Anew name appeare on the winningsires’li

lastweekend when the Warren Ewing-trainedIntense Approach wonthe four-year-old maiden at Farmacaffley.

’y Jack Hobbs,winner e2015 Irish Derby er finishingsecond to Golden Horn in the Danteand theDerby Jack Hobbs is standingasajumps stallion at the OverburyStudin Worcestershire, for a ng time the home of ual Ascot Gold Cup and Irish St LegerwinnerKayf Tara, ahugeinfluence on jumpracing, whoretiredfromstudduties in 2020 and diedafew months ago.

KayfTarawas champion jumps sireinBritain 11 times.I’llalwaysbe

grateful to him because he sired Edwulf,who startedoff in point-topoints with VincentHalleyand gave me one of my best days in racing when winningthe Irish Gold Cupin 2018.

IntenseApproachisout of Intense Tango, aMastercraftsman mare who wasauseful dual-purposesort.

He lookslikeanice typeto advertiseJackHobbs in the sales ring wherehis best performer so far has beenafilly who wasboughtbyPhilip Dempsey for 110,000 Eurosatlast year’s Derbysale.

Bill Joyce, who continuedagreat runfor handler BennyWalsh and his wife Jennybywinningthe four-yearold geldings’maiden at Lisronagh, is by Mahler who needsno introduction to students of point-topointstatistics.

StandingatBeechesStud, he was the champion sirewith 23 wins two seasons ago. With 17wins already this season he is leadingthe way, four ahead of Getawayand Walk In ThePark.

SeveralofMahler’s best progeny on the track, includingtwo Troytown Chasewinners Chris’s Dream and TheBig Dogand high-class mare Ms Parfois,startedoff in points So,too,did Churchstonewarrior and Mahler Mission, winner and second respectively in the recent Grade 2Ten Up ChaseatNavan and likely to clashagain in the National Hunt ChaseatCheltenham

Thefour-year-old mares’ maiden at Lisronaghwas wonbythe Matthew O’ConnorFlynn-trained Lady Balko, whostayedonwellto takeadvantage after the Colin BowetrainedChampersintheparkhad fallen when travellingbestatthe last Very different from Jack Hobbs and Mahler,Balkospent his entirecareer runningoverjumps for topFrench trainer Guillaume Macaire. He startedoff with ahurdles winat Auteuil as athree-year-old and won eightofhis 15 races Balkowas abit shortoftop class, although he once finishedsecond to the subsequentGrade 1and Grand National winner Neptune Collonges in aGrade 3chase.His best horse hasbeenthe HenrydeBromheadtrainedBalkoDes Flos,winner of the Galway Plateand theRyanair and second to Minella Times in the Grand National.

Denis Murphydecidedtotakeon the geldings with Break My Soul in the four-year-old maiden at Tinahely and she looked anice prospectin justifying favouritism under Jack Hendrick. ShegaveDoyen his 12th winner of the season and is outofa mare by the former champion sire Presenting.

Finally for this week, congratulations to MikeyO’Connor, who joinedEndaBolgeronthe 413-winner mark when riding RookeryWoods to winamaidenat Bandon.

Mikey, who alsotrains the winner, is only the seventhjockeytoride morethan400 point-to-point winners.Heovertooklong-time recordholder Willie Rooney(401 wins) awhile backand hasnow reachedanother milestone in agreat career.

‘Mikey is only the seventhjockey to ride more than 400point-to-point winners’

HEALYRACING

He’sby the aft

Bill Joyce clincheswin number 17 forcurrent leading sire Mahler in thefour-year-old geldings’maidenatLisronagh

EachistheFIRSTREPORTEDFOALforitsrespectivesire.

Dual Gr.1-winning 3YO and Gr.2-winning 2YO by GALILEO

Colt ex PRETTY RECKLESS, a blacktype performer over fences out of an own-sister to NICK DUNDEE and half-sister to NED KELLY

Irish Derby-Gr.1 winner and Royal Ascot Gr.2 winner by AUTHORIZED

Filly ex BESTOW, a Presenting half-sister to €100,000 Aon Novice H. Chase winner OPERATING

German Derby-Gr.1 winner, like his sire ADLERFLUG, and runner-up in the‘Arc’

Colt ex LAST OF THE BUNCH, dam of Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner RELEGATE

Contact: David Magnier, Albert Sherwood, David O’Sullivan, Andrew Magnier & Catherine Magnier: 025-33006. Robert McCarthy, Bobby McCarthy & Peter Kenneally: 058-56254. Tom Gaffney, Joe Hernon, Paddy Fleming, Cathal Murphy & Barry Kennedy: 025-31966.

WORKING FOR THE BREEDERS OF THE BLACKWATER VALLEY SINCE THE 1850’s