Related Stories

• 8 gold, 3 silver and 11 bronze for Rathcormac Taekwon-Do Club at Irish Nationals
  
  
• Waterford’s Stephen Molumphy announces retirement
  
  
• Shanahan’s ‘Hail Mary shot’ seals it for Fermoy
  
  
• Fermoy intermediate hurlers well capable of delivering knock-out blow
  
  
• Victory for St Fanahan’s U14 boys
  
  
• County title for Galbally U14s
  
  
• North Cork final glory for Glanworth U16 ladies footballers
  
  
• Dungarvan’s Tom Queally competes at Kempton Park
  
  
• Cross Country season begins for Grange Fermoy Athletic Club
  
  
• Katie Taylor topping the bill at ‘Road to Rio’ fight night in Fermoy
  
  
• Cork camogie star Orla Cotter visits locals with O’Duffy Cup
  
  
• Fermoy man claims three gold medal at World Powerlifting Championships
  
  

The Kilkenny Hunt Point-to-Point saw Paul Power, as trainer and jockey respectively, take two winners. Photo: iStock

By Redundant Punter

The Paul Power trained Bakers Street landed a very tidy gamble on Sunday, November 2nd at the Kilkenny Hunt Point-to-Point, staged at Thomastown. Available freely at odds of 10/1, the progeny of Central Park saw those odds tumble to 5/2 at the off and he duly delivered by 8l.

Partnered by Jenny Cook (Power’s girlfriend) in this novice riders contest, she hunted the 7yr old around for most of the trip before assuming command three out and from here, was never in danger of defeat, eventually going in by 8l from Amazurka (4-8) Donal McInerney. A beaming Power said “they were both brilliant, I’m thrilled, he is owned by my mother (Breeda) and we may go for a winners race next”.

This winner gave American rider Cook her second career victory to date.

Earlier in the day, Power himself got into the winners enclosure, whilst wearing his jockey’s hat, as he teamed up with local handler Kieran Purcell and his charge Red Sunset (2-4), who went in by 3l in the nine runner winners of two contest. The winner, still only a 5yr old, was produced by Power to join long time leader All At Once (5-10) Shane O’Rourke, as they approached the wings of the last, however, once over this, the progeny of Oscar found plenty on the level to go right away to score by 3l.

“We may go for another winners contest, we will see,” commented Purcell.

Red Sunset was the first leg of a Kieran Purcell double, as earlier he sent out Bold Bachelor to land a touch in the first division of the 5 and 6yr old geldings maiden. The 5yr old progeny of Bachelor Duke was partnered by Declan Queally, with the 2/1 shot (from 6/1) going in by 5l from unlucky runner-up, Ceann Sibheal (4-10) Rob James.

At the penultimate obstacle, the eventual second placed finisher jumped to his left, with James doing well to keep the partnership in tact. However, Queally seized on the opportunity and kicked on with the Jolly and once safely over the last, it was all about Bold Bachelor, who sluiced in by 5l. “We may take in a winners race with this fellow,” commented owner/trainer Kieran Purcell, “before he goes back to the track.”

Trainer Sean Doyle was also in double form with both his winners partnered by last term’s champion novice rider, Rob James. In the opening 4yr old maiden, it was the Doyle ‘Second String’ who got up late on to score by a head. Here, James produced Black Sam The Man (4-7) with a wet sail, to challenge Ballywilliam (5/2-4) and Derek O’Connor going to the last, there was nothing between the pairing for the length of the straight, with on the nod Black Sam The Man prevailing by a head (despite the course commentator calling Doyle’s ‘First String’ the winner, which was incorrect).

Sean Farmer Doyle was thrilled with victory of the progeny of Black Sam Bellamy, indicating “that he is Cheltenham sales bound”.

Doyle and James combined to land the second split of the 5 and 6yr old geldings maiden, with easy to back 6/1 shot Monbeg River. This progeny of Indian River came from virtually last to first over the last mile, to lead at the wings of the last of the 15 obstacles and once safely over this, he pulled right away to score by 8l (our biggest winning margin of the day) from Sage Monkey (5-8) and Richie Kiely.

“This fellow did it well and is off to the sales next,” commented Doyle, whom was training his first double here.

Another trainer in double form was Gordon Elliott, as he landed the mares maiden, along with the open lightweight. Jamie Codd got the leg up on Miss Dinamic (6/4-Ev) in the mares maiden and the 5yr old daughter of Kutub duly delivered with the minimum of fuss. Always prominent, Codd waited until racing away from the back of the penultimate obstacle, before giving the jolly office and once he did, she quickened away in good style and was always holding the John Barry partnered West Legend (4-8) with 5l between the pairing at the death.

In Elliott’s absence, his representative Simon McGonagle said “she’s a very classy type who may take in a winners race, before going back to the track.”

Recent Loughbrickland open lightweight scorer, Oscar Barton, under Tim Donworth, quickly doubled up here to justify favouritism 6/4 (from 9/4) going in by a snug 4l. Donworth allowed the 9yr old son of Oscar to stride on four out and from here was never troubled, going in by 4l from the fast finishing Dantes King (5-10) and Roderic Kavanagh.

Big disappointment of this contest was The Hollinwell, who didn’t jump that fluently or travel well enough and was trailing when pulling up before three out. Of the winner, McGonagle indicated “that he will tip away in opens.”

ONE TO FOLLOW!

Another Time (Aidan Fitzgerald) – This 5yr old daughter of Old Vic made her debut here and to be fair, she shaped very well, finishing third, beaten around 5l. Given a nominal improvement in the jumping department, she looks a good thing next time up.

RESULTS

4yr Old Maiden – 1. Black Sam The Man R James; 2. Ballywilliam D O’Connor; 3. Consharon Boy P Power; 4. Maxo JJ Codd. Dist: Hd, 3l, 3l (12 ran) (Sean Doyle).

5 & 6yr Old Maiden (mares) – 1. Miss Dinamic JJ Codd; 2. West Legend JC Barry; 3. Another Time R Deegan; 4. Classic Palace B O’Neill. Dist: 5l, nk, 8l (13 ran) (Gordon Elliott).

Winners Of Two – 1. Red Sunset (P Power); 2. All At Once SE O’Rourke (11-11); 3. Subtitle JJ Slevin (11-11); 4. Stand Sure J Queally. Dist: 3l, 2l, 3l (9 ran) (Kieran Purcell).

5 & 6yr Old Geld Maiden, Div 1 – 1. Bold Bachelor J Queally; 2. Ceann Sibheal R James; 3. Glengra D O’Connor; 4. Planning Officer H Dunne. Dist: 5l, 1.5l, 3l (13 ran) (Kieran Russell).

5 & 6yr Old Geld Maiden, Div 2 – 1. Monbeg River R James; 2 Sage Monkey R Kiely; 3. Royal Haslar D Queally; 4. Oberon Blue R O’Sullivan (11-11). Dist: 8l, 10l, 1.5l (12 ran) (Sean Doyle).

Open Lightweight – 1. Oscar Barton T Dunsworth (11-11); 2. Dantes King R Kavanagh (11-11); 3. Isourbell D O’Connor; 4. O’Muircheartaigh Ms S Oakes (11-11). Dist: 4l, 10l, 2.5l (14 ran) (Gordon Elliott).

7yr Old & Up Maiden (novice riders) – 1. Bakers Street Ms J Cook; 2. Amazurka D McInerney; 3. Shane’s Star W Shanahan; 4. Colgrave Sound Pa O’Donnell. Dist: 8l, hd, 12l (10 ran) (Paul Power).

blog comments powered by Disqus