There were some very emotive scenes in the parade ring on Sunday last as Castlesaffron (9/4-7/2) was announced as the “Head” victor of the Anthony O’Riordan, Eily’s Bar sponsored winners of three contest staged at Dromahane and run under the auspices of the Doneraile Hunt.

The winner a 10 year old was sporting the colours of the late Con O’Keeffe (passed away in late February) a great stalwart of the Doneraile committee since 1974. Brian O’Keeffe has now assumed the training duties to carry on a long family involvement with all things equine and he indicated that this progeny of Bob Back may go for a hunters chase in Killarney next month. Castlesaffron was partnered by Liscarroll rider Mikey O’Connor, who had earlier in the day teamed up with trainer Mick Winters and his charge Killdunne (3-5/4) who sluiced up by an unextended 2½L in the second split of the 6 year old and upwards maiden.

Brought through to challenge 7/1 shot Brave Hearted Harry on the level the 6 year old ex track performer and progeny of Hawk Wing drew away very readily to score by 2½L. “We will try to find a little winners race for him” commented Winters, “or just maybe we might go back to the track”.

First cousins Patrick and Emmet Mullins made their very first foray to Dromahane a fruitful one, as they wore their owners and trainers hat to duly land the fourteen runner 4 year old Maiden kindly sponsored by The Lodge Bar and Theatre, Mallow. The Mullins were represented by the Mikey Fogarty partnered Black Hercules (2-4-3) and truth be told he could be mapped the likely winner from four out.

Fogarty produced the imposing son of Heron Island to lead over two out and with a good leap at the last he put 6L between himself and runner-up Are You Listening (5-8) and Mikey O’Connor. “We think an awful lot of this fellow”, commented Mullins (Emmet) “We will give him a break now and then go for an autumn bumper”, this incidentally was Mullins’ first winner as a trainer.    

Nobody rides Dromahane as well as Derek O’Connor and to compliment his Saturday treble he also recorded a Sunday treble and this brought his Dromahane tally to 100 winners ridden here in his career to date. The Galwegian kicked off with the Robert Tyner trained 9/4 shot Who Let De Dogs Out who sluiced up by a snug 2L in the 5 year old Mares Maiden sponsored by The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow and Dairygold Co-Op.

Sporting the colours of long standing points patron Martin O’Callaghan, O’Connor produced the progeny of Oscar with a wet sail going to the last and once safely over this she was holding too many aces for runner-up That’s My Goal (4-5) Declan Queally. “She deserved that”, (second twice previous) said Tyner “and next up will be a mares bumper next month”. The middle leg of the O’Connor treble came about in the Grange stud sponsored 5 year old Geldings Maiden, which was the subject of a divide. Here O’Connor teamed up with the Ronnie O’Leary trained It’s a Doddle (3-6) a débutante progeny of Oscar.

Despite the best attentions of the Johnny King partnered Pleasant Company (4-8-6) they could not match It’s a Doddle on the level with the Co Clare raiders separated by 3L at the death. Division two was a much tighter affair with just ½L separating the first two across the line. Victory looked likely for the Mikey Fogarty ridden 3/1 shot Uptake who had edged on by 1L or so touching down over the last of the thirteen obstacles.

However the Declan Queally partnered Well Travelled (5-8) hadn’t read the script and on the level he closed with every stride and within the shadow of the post it was Well Travelled who found plenty to surge clear at the death to score by ½L.

The David Barry trained winner was a big eye-catcher at Inch on his début (btn 20L into sixth) and the imposing progeny of Asian Heights looks a decent type in the making.

The Derek O’Connor treble was completed by the Ciaran O’Brien trained Unknown Legend (5/2-6) who duly landed the first division of the 6 year old and upwards maiden kindly sponsored by Dan Joe Fitzgerald, Carpets/Furniture, Mallow.

This was a grief stricken contest at the third last obstacle as three of the eventual winners nearest rivals all departed the scene and with their demise this left Unknown Legend clear and with good leaps over the last two obstacles the progeny of Heron Island coasted home some 9L clear of Hit The Top (3-6-5) the mount of James Carroll. “He did it well”, commented O’Brien “and sure we will play it by ear with him”.

The concluding Open Lightweight was for novice riders and here seven faced the starter. On paper it looked a match between the veteran Footy Facts (now 13) (5/4-EV) and Johnny Burke, along with the 8 year old Lanespark (EV-6/4-11/10) the mount of Kevin Sheehan. Well on the track it was to be fair a mismatch as Lanespark totally decimated the field going in by 4L from Footy Facts. Sent to the front from the drop of the flag the progeny of Dr Massini (Lanespark) was subsequently never headed or troubled, to be fair Footy Facts did close up over the third and second last obstacles but he was always tilting at windmills eventually going down by 4L. The winner will “tip away in points” commented successful handler Mark Spillane and “in time we will go down the hunter chase route”.

ONE TO FOLLOW!!!

For Gortnatona (Mick Winters)

Sporting the “For Bill” colours this progeny of Oscar ran an absolute cracker in the Mares Maiden going down by 17L having found traffic problems after the fourth and third last obstacles and from here was not punished and is one to keep onside next time up.

4-year-old Mdn

1 Black Hercules (M P Fogarty), 2 Are You Listening (M J O’Connor), 3 Like It A Lot (J T Carroll), 4 Inch Rise (J J Burke) (11-2). Dist: 6L 4L 3½L (14 ran) (Emmet Mullins).

5-year-old Mares Maiden

1 Who Let De Dogs Out (D O’Connor), 2 That’s My Goal (D Queally), 3 Liz’s D’estruval (M D Hickey), 4 For Gortnatona (M J O’Connor). Dist: 2L ¾L 14L (19 ran) (Robert Tyner).

5-year-old Geld Mdn Div 1

1 Well Travelled (D Queally), 2 Uptake (M P Fogarty), 3 Castle Connell (R Kiely), 4 Solid Strike (J A Ryan). Dist: ½L 5½L 4L (14 ran) (David Barry).

5-year-old Geld Mdn Div 2

1 It’s A Doddle (D O’Connor), 2 Pleasant Company (J J King), 3 Sunchyne (D Murphy), 4 Enoch Wriggle (D Queally). Dist: 3L 20L 4L (13 ran) (Ronald O’Leary).

6-year-old and up Mdn Div 1

1 Unknown Legend (D O’Connor), 2 Hit The Top (J T Carroll), 3 Raydini (M J O’Connor), 4 Major Defence (C McSweeney). Dist: 9L ½L 15L (18 ran) (Ciaran O’Brien).

6-year-old and up Mdn Div 2

1 Killdunne (M J O’Connor), 2 Bravehearted Harry (D O’Connor), 3 Paddy Sean Mor (J P O’Rourke) (11-9), 4 Peig Alainn (D Murphy). Dist: 2½L 30L 9L (17 ran) (Mick Winters).

WINNERS OF THREE

1 Castlesaffron (M J O’Connor), 2 Bingo Bash (D O’Connor), 3 Can U See Me Now (D P Collins) (11-9). Dist: HD 15L (Brian O’Keeffe) (5 ran, only 3 fin).

OPEN LIGHTWEIGHT

1 Lanespark (K C Sheehan), 2 Footy Facts (J J Burke), 3 Mantell (S Cavanagh). Dist: 4L dist (7 ran, only 3 fin) (Mark Spillane).