Despite high wind and driving rain Sunday last’s Duhallow Hunt Point-to-Point being staged at Dromahane went ahead.
However just two races in it was announced the remainder of the card was being abandoned for ‘health and safety’ reasons.
Personally speaking I don’t think the days racing should have ever gone ahead and the committee would have been better served going ahead on Friday evening next with a 4pm start.
Colin Bowe looks to have an abundance of riches in the 4 year old department this year and again on Sunday last the Wexford handler was back in the winners enclosure as his Report To Base (ev-6/4) under Rob James went in by 2l from the John Barry partnered Volia Eric (2-3).
James elected to make all with the debutante progeny of Westener, whilst Barry was never more than 2l adrift, with this pairing going well clear of the remainder.
Turning into the home straight there was very little between the duo, they both took the last three obstacles well, but on the level it was Report To Base who found a little extra to go in by 2l from the Vincent Halley trained Voila Eric with 5/4 shot Brave Eagle under Paul O’Neill some 25l further adrift.
Speaking to successful Jockey Rob James he said “I own half of this fellow with Colin, sure look he’s a real nice horse he loved that ground and he jumps for fun, he did it well, we hot him at the derby sale (cost 32k) and he will go to the sales next.”
The winner was sporting the same colours as Monksgrange 4 year old winner Samco and that fellow a progeny of Germany realized £335,000 (sterling) at last week’s Aintree sale.
The Mick Winters trained Blazes Peg (3-ev) under Chris O’Donovan easily stepped up on her recent Lismore third to go in here by a snug 2l in the eight runner 5 and 6-year-old mares maiden.
O’Donovan had the daughter of Presenting in mid-division early before making gradual progress to lead two out, and from here she was holding too many aces for Lady Robyn (ev-2) and Brian Lenihan with 2l separating the pairing at the death, thus consigning Lady Robyn to her fourth runner-up placing.
Aintree Grand National
There was a great result for ex-pointer’s in this years Aintree national with ex-pointers filling four of the first five places.
The winner Rule The World had just one run in points to land a 2011 Affane (Cappoquin) maiden under Derek O’Connor with the 4 year old going in by just 1/2l from More Madness and Richard Harding.
The second and third, The Last Samurai and Vic’s Canvas both ran in four points each, failing to complete in two, before finishing runner-up before going on to land their maidens at Taylorstown and Loughbrickland both courses are up north and no more than five miles apart.
Fifth place Goonyella had a more successful points career winning three from six, finishing second twice, and pulling up on his only other effort.
4-year-old maiden
1. Report To Base, R James. 2. Volia Eric, JC Barry. 3. Brave Eagle, PJ O’Neill. 4. Tom Tom Turnaround, PD Collins. Dist.: 2l 25l dist (6 ran) (Colin Bowe).
5 & 6 year old mares maiden
1. Blazers Peg, MC O’Donovan (11-5). 2. Lady Robyn, BM Lineman. 3. Turn Down The Volume, E Keating (11-5). 4. Time To Benefit, N Redmond (11-5). Dist: 2l 9L 3l (8 ran) (Mick Winters).
Remainder of meeting abandoned due to the weather conditions.
