Jackdaws Racing in scintillating form

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Jackdaws Racing in scintillating form

12 winners from abroad for Avondhu area riding connections, with Jonjo O’Neill claiming an impressive seven-winner haul.

Barry O’Neill

Monday, 4 November 2013
6:00 PM GMT



WEEK 43 21st-27th OCTOBER 2013

Another great week for locals, with Jonjo O'Neill taking the honours with a seven-winner haul. Winners also from Liam Keniry, Martin Lane, Conor Ring and Brian Harding made it 12 winners in total.

JACKDAWS IN SCINTILLATING FORM

Castletownroche native and trainer, Jonjo O'Neill, can do little wrong at the moment and his string are in the form of their lives. O'Neill recorded no less that seven winners last week, the highlight of which was Eastlake's win in a class 2 handicap chase, over 2m, at Aintree on October 27th last.

Ridden by Tony McCoy, this seven year old son of Beneficial, was coming back off a break of 191 days and running here off a lifetime high mark of 135. Held up by McCoy, Eastlake made a slight error at the sixth fence but made steady headway after the fourth last, going into second place three out. Leading between the last two fences, McCoy got the required good jump at the last and Eastlake stayed on strongly up the run-in for a convincing looking three and a quarter length win. Anay Turge (9/2) took second with Kings Grey (10/1) a further half a length back in third place.

Eastlake must go down as one of the most consistent horses in training, having now recorded no less than nine wins from 21 starts, this for a remarkable win strike rate of 42%. He still looks progressive and could be up to emulating his half brother, Santaney, a grade 2 winner for Paul Nicholls in days gone by.

Jonjo O'Neill, winning trainer went onto say, "That was nice and he jumped well. Eastlake has got stronger and he has got his confidence back, his jumping is a lot better now."

O'Neill went onto record another six winners last week, all of which were ridden by Tony McCoy, who is now about 11 winners off 4,000 career wins in the saddle. These wins included a Carlisle treble with Milan Bound (6/4), Upswing (7/4f) and Finding Your Feet (6/4f), all over hurdles on October 24th. A double followed at Aintree on October 26th, with Josie’s Orders (7/2jf) and Shutthefrontdoor (4/5f), who made a winning debut over fences and looks as good as ever on this evidence.

A further Aintree double followed on October 27th with the above mentioned Eastlake and Deadly Sting (11/8f), who won the concluding bumper on the card by a head, again benefiting from a great McCoy ride.

At this rate O'Neill and his team will be up on a century of winners before Christmas. They now stand on 77 winners and top the UK trainers’ table.

KENIRY'S TWO GO UNDER THE HAMMER

Killeagh native and flat jockey, Liam Keniry, had yet another brace of winners last week, a common theme within this column. His first winner came aboard the Sylvester Kirk trained, Landau (9/2), in a class 5 handicap over 1m2f, at Lingfield Park (A/W), on October 22nd last.

Sent to post third choice in this 10-runner event, Landau, a three year old gelded son of Aussie Rules, was dropping back in trip, after a career best run over a similar trip at Kempton Park, back in September.

Breaking well, Keniry positioned his mount in a prominent pitch on the rail. Coming under pressure fully three furlongs out and now ridden strongly by Keniry, Landau hit the front at the one furlong pole, but looked vulnerable to a closer. Those closers came in the shape of Shirataki (16/1) and Miguel Grau (6/4f), but a game and determined Landau held on grimly, despite hanging badly, to win by a neck and a head at the line.

Recording his first win on this his eight start, Landau can now go on to better things. He holds an entry at Tattersalls horses in training sale later this week and could well find a new home off the back of this win.

Keniry's second and final winner came aboard the Andrew Balding trained, Martial Art (5/2f), in a class 5 maiden over 6f, at Kempton Park, on October 23rd last. Sent off race favourite, this three year old gelded son of Compton Place, was dropped back into maiden company in a first time visor, having flopped on his handicap debut. Ridden again at the head of affairs by Keniry, Martial Art led over one furlong out and despite been harassed and impeded by Poyle Vinnie (5/1), just managed to hold on by a fast diminishing neck.

Recording his first win on this, his 13th start, Martial Art is yet another horse with an appointment at the Tattersalls horses in training sale, on October 29th next.

Andrew Balding, winning trainer, went onto say, "Martial Art has threatened a few times and deserved this. He goes to the horses in training sale now."

Keniry now moves on to the 62 winner mark for 2013.

LANE FAULTLESS ON RIOJA DAY

Kilworth native and flat jockey, Martin Lane, keeps the winners flowing and he had the perfect start to last week, making all aboard the John Hills trained Rioja Day (6/1), in a class 5 handicap over 1m, at Windsor, on October 21st.

Contesting his 13th race, in heavy ground conditions, this three year old son of Red Clubs was still looking for that elusive first win. Wearing his customary blinkers, Lane bounced Rioja Day out in front up the inside rail with just Creoso Mawr (8/1) for company. Travelling well to the intersection, Lane switched to the far side rail and kicking on at the two pole, looked to have all his rivals in trouble. Going three lengths clear inside the final furlong, this race was well and truly put to bed, with Rioja Day going on to win convincingly by two lengths from The Scuttler (9/2) back in second place.

Recording his first win off a mark off 61 here, Rioja Day has a date at the sales at the end of October and will likely head in that direction. A confirmed frontrunner, he looks to have benefited from heavy ground conditions, a good draw and a good ride from Lane.

Martin Lane, speaking to The Avondhu, went onto say, "He's been running really consistently of late, but the heavy ground really played into his hands and he's done it pretty easy in the end."

A relived trainer, John Hills, went onto say, "This little horse has run some decent races and it suited him to have cut in the ground. He had a lovely draw and got the perfect ride from Martin, grabbing the lead and kicking at the intersection. He goes to the sales in just over a weeks time."

RING JUST KEEPS GETTING IT ON

Freemount native and jump jockey, Conor Ring, was again making the most of his opportunities, winning aboard the Evan Williams trained Get It On (6/1), in a class 4 handicap chase over 2m3f, at Chepstow, on October 26th last.

Coming into this race off a 240 day break and back over fences, this eight year son of King's Theatre, was looking to record his fourth win in total and first in just over two years.

Jumping off in fourth position in this six-runner event, Ring settled his mount well, off an even pace, set by Topaz Collonges (11/4). Always travelling smoothly, Get It On took closer order into third, just before the open ditch. A mistake at the 11th fence while stalking the leading pair, which included race favourite Ballinvarigg (7/4f), looked costly at a crucial time in the race, but Ring sat quiet and bided his time. Turning into the home straight and none were going better than Get It On. Sweeping down the outside, he duly joined Ballinvarigg upsides at the fourth last and pinged the next two fences. A good jump again at the final obstacle sealed the race and scooting clear up the long run-in, Get It On won with ridiculous ease, by 35 lengths. Ballinvarigg, ploughed through the last and was heavily eased back in second place.

A convincing looking performance from the Evan Williams trained gelding, who was formerly trained in Ireland by Francis Flood, who also trained his half sister Georges Girl, who took the notable scalp of Hardy Eustace, when winning the Grade 2 Red Mills Hurdle back in 2004.

Conor Ring, speaking to The Avondhu, said, "His summer break did him the world of good and he travelled very easily through this race."

Evan Williams, winning trainer went onto say, "Get It On has not won for over two years, so I think he might have been freshened up by a long break. It might be one of those results that pop up here, when the ground is riding very soft."

HARDING KEEPING IT LOCAL AT CARLISLE

Castletownroche native and jump jockey, Brian Harding, added another winner to his early season tally, aboard the Nicky Richards trained Moufatango, in a class 4 handicap hurdle over 2m4f, at Carlisle, on October 24th last.

Coming here off the back of a very easy win in a Selling Hurdle at Hexham, this seven year old son of Sagacity, was back in handicap company off a reasonable mark of 105 here.

Harding jumped Moufatango out in front and proceeded to make all in this 10-runner event. Briefly joined and challenged by the Barry Murtagh trained Pete (16/1), who travelled smoothly into the race at the third last, Moufatango had to many guns for his fellow Cumbrian rival and duly stayed on stoutly up the Carlisle hill, for a four length win.

Recording his third win from just 12 starts, the Greystoke based gelding looks high on confidence now and only the handicapper will stop him bidding for a hat-trick of wins. With all of his wins coming at 2m4f plus, Moufatango will be out again sooner rather than later and he holds an entry at Sedgefield on October 31st, over a gruelling looking 3m3f trip. Whether he shows up over this trip against better opposition is anyone’s guess. Harding was recording his sixth winner of the season.



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