With a very large entry (254) multiple divides were always going to be order of the day at Sunday last’s running of the 75th anniversary of point-to-point racing at Hightown, Bartlemy and run under the auspices of the local United Hunt.

We got the expected divides as some 154 beasties fulfilled their engagement which resulted in no less than eleven races and great credit must go to all involved as proceedings were wound up shortly after 6pm.

On the day the big winner was the sport of point-to-pointing as the day showcased all that is good about the sport, from the excellent organisation, the standard of racing (9 contests won by 2L or less), the high quality of horses along with the high quality of riders and throw in a large crowd and there you have all that is good about the sport, the only downside was the lack of a winning favourite but I guess the bookmakers have to live too.

One rider who will look back on the day fondly is Mitchelstown rider Eoin O’Brien as he brought his seasonal tally to eight by virtue of recording a treble here, his first treble on the hugely competitive Cork and Waterford circuit.

O’Brien got off the mark for the day on board the Aidan Fogarty trained Knockanrawley (5/2-6) who ran out a 2L victor of the third split of the 5 year old geldings maiden.

Third on his previous outing at Stradbally the progeny of Portrait Gallery was never going to be denied here and was always holding too many aces from the back of the last for the Pat Collins partnered Rock Me Zippo (4-8) with 6/4 favourite Jimmy Shan some 2L further back in third.

The winner is owned by Joe Fogarty (the trainer’s father) the owner of Kilfeacle Stud where Portrait Gallery stands and of this son of Portrait Gallery he indicated that “this fellow deserved that and we will play it by ear with him, but he may go for a winners contest next”.

Half an hour later O’Brien was back in the winners enclosure as he recorded a facile victory on board the Adrian O’Shea (Top Cross Lisgoold) trained Shine A Diamond (5-10) who duly landed the fourteen runner confined maiden.

Plenty were fancied in this and it reflected in the market, however on the track with over a mile to race it was over as a contest, as O’Brien had the progeny of St Jovite in a clear lead and subsequently was never headed or troubled coming home 10L clear of his nearest rival giving us our biggest winning margin of the day. Recent Lisronagh runner-up Golden Crisp (6/4-5/2) again occupied that position here, with Aine Saor (4-10) Paul Kiely some 1L further back in third.

The Eoin O’Brien treble was completed by victory on board the Ronan Curran trained Classic Jewel (3-5) who prevailed by a head in the second split of the 6 year old and upwards maiden.

In front over two out Classic Jewel was strongly pressed by Premier Portrait (6/4-5/2) and Barry O’Neill. The lead changed hands a couple of times before the last obstacle, but when Premier Portrait poached ½L here it looked all over, however, on the run in O’Brien galvanised one more effort out of the progeny of Classic Cliché and within the shadow of the post he got up to score a head.

Elsewhere on the card Fermoy rider, Larry Murphy was in double form landing the 5 year old Mares Maiden along with a split of the 5 year old Geldings Maiden.

Last year’s champion novice rider teamed up with the Jonathan Sweeney trained Ballybrowney Ella (5-10) who prevailed in a pulsating finale of the mares maiden.

When Mikey O’Connor kicked on three out with 4/1 shot Moon Over Monaloo victory looked likely for the Ken Budds trained mare, however before the last she started to emit distress signals as the eventual winner began to close but was still 2L down at the last. On the level Ballybrowney Ella was now making rapid inroads on Moon Over Monaloo and with the line in sight it was Ballybrowney Ella who poked her head in front to get up and score by a neck.

This winner was handler Jonathan Sweeney’s third victory of the season to date having tasted success with Miss Libby in Kildorrery and prior to that the pairing struck with Glencullen Lass in Dromahane.

The winner a progeny of Presenting will now be left off for the summer.

Larry Murphy brought his seasonal tally to a very credible 16 by virtue of victory on board 6/1 shot (from 8/1) Red or White who duly landed the second split of the 5 year old geldings maiden.

Anyone of three held a chance touching down over the last but on the level it was Red or White who found the greater resolve to go on to score by 1L and 1L from Mr Mercurial (5-8) Pat Collins and Silver Grove (6-10) Roger Quinlan.

Speaking to the absent James Dullea by phone “We think an awful lot of this fellow and to be fair he has a bit of developing left to do, if he’s not sold in the interm he will go to Brightwell’s next”.

Murphy was unlucky not to have a treble as going to the last he looked the likely winner in the first split of the opening 4 year old maiden with one to jump.

Going to the last of the 14 obstacles Murphy partnered the Paul Cashman trained debuter Present Flight (2-5/4) and they were the meat in the sandwich between Hot Whiskey N Ice (4-7) Roger Quinlan along with Didn’t I Tell Ya (4-7) Pat Collins. At this the trio took off as one but here Cashman’s fellow was the less fluent effectively ending his chance and on the level it was the Pat Collins ridden Didn’t I Tell Ya who went on to score by 1L 3L from Hot Whiskey N Ice and the luckless Present Flight.

The winner a progeny of Presenting who pulled up previously at Dromahane will be “offered at upcoming sales” commented trainer Eoin Doyle, “He’s very decent and will make a lovely sort”.

Pat Collins and Eoin Doyle again teamed up to land the first split of the 5 year old geldings maiden with 6/1 shot Georgie Lad, with this combination foiling a gamble on the Willie Codd trained Stellar Notion (3-5/4) the mount of Robbie McNamara. At the penultimate obstacle Robbie McNamara eased the jolly up to join the eventual winner, as Stonehall Vic (4-6) and Mikey O’Connor raised the white flag in third. On the run to the last and McNamara popped a serious question to Stellar Notion and the response was not as forthcoming as one would have expected, whilst the vastly more experienced Georgie Lad found plenty for pressure and on the run to the line it was Georgie Lad who pulled away to score by 1½L.

“The progeny of Gold Well will be going to Brightwells next” commented Doyle.

Another rider in double form was the hugely talented Barry O’Neill and he topped and tailed the meeting with victories in a split of the opening 4 year old maiden and the concluding 6 year old and upwards maiden.

In the second split of the 4 year old maiden O’Neill teamed up with the Colin Bowe trained Master Dee who ran out an easy 5L victor. In front before the penultimate obstacle the progeny of Kings Theatre was always much too good for the remainder and with a clean leap at the last he pulled right away to score by 5L over Letter of the Law (3-7) and Pa King.

The winner a 3/1 shot easily stepped up on his Ballysteen second placing. Bowe indicated “this fellow deserved that as he was very unlucky the last day (bad mistake at the last) and sure we will play it by ear from here”.

O’Neill completed his brace and brought his season’s tally to 39 by virtue of victory on board 5/1 shot Mountain Cliché, who is also trained by Colin Bowe and this victory brought Bowe’s tally to 16 for the season to date. Brought through to lead before the last the progeny of Classic Cliché was always in command and easily dismissed the spirited effort of The Jackdaws Roost (4-7) and Ciaran Fennessy by 1¼L, giving Fennessy his third runne-up spot on the day.

Despite the fact we had eleven races we only had five winning jockeys and also amongst the winners was Richie Kiely who teamed up with the Seamus Harte trained 8/1 shot What A Joke who went in by 1½L in the first split of the concluding 6 year old and upwards maiden. The 6 year old progeny of Vinnie Roe showed all the right battling qualities from the back of the second last to see off the game effort of the runner-up the James Joyce partnered Jack Overbury (5-8) with 1½L between the pair at the death.

This was Harte’s second winner of the current campaign having sent out Seskinane to win at Killeagh.

There was an absolute rousing finale to the winners of one contest with around 2¼L separating the first four across the line. Victory here went to the Maxine O’Sullivan partnered Cork Citizen (4-6) prevailing by a neck over Strideout Euro (4-6) and Ciaran Fennessy, with 2L and a neck back to Forget and Forgive (2-stdy) and Val D’Auberge (5-10), third and fourth respectively.

The winner (fell at Killarney behind Mossey Joe) a progeny of Overbury and a confined maiden winner at Dromahane back in March, “will be aimed at another winners contest at either Kinsale or Ballingarry”, commented trainer and proud father Eugene O’Sullivan.

One to Follow!!!

Lissacapia Ben (John O’Brien)

This progeny of Beneficial travelled well throughout in the third division of the 6 year old and upwards maiden and appeared to lose his pitch going to three out and subsequently was pulled up and maybe one to keep onside next time up.

Sponsorship!!!

In these tough economic times great credit must go to the committee for having sponsors for each of the six races and they were Brightwells, Tattersalls, Anthony & Associates, Denis Barry, McCarthy Insurance, along with Glanbia and Liam Walshe & Associates. Well done to all concerned.

results

4 year old Maiden Div 1

1 Didn’t I Tell Ya (P D Collins), 2 Hot Whiskey N Ice (R Quinlan), 3 Present Flight (L C Murphy), 4 Skylander (M P Fogarty). Dist: 1L 3L 3½L (10 ran) (Eoin Doyle).

4 year old Maiden Div 2

1 Master Dee (B O’Neill), 2 Letter of the Law (Pa King), 3 Sacramento King (R Quinlan), 4 Make It Happen (E P O’Brien). Dist: 5L 1L 1L (9 ran) (Colin Bowe).

5 year old Mares Maiden

1 Ballybrowney Ella (L C Murphy), 2 Moon Over Monaloo (M J O’Connor), 3 Needed The Run (R Harding), 4 Nancy From Stannes (M Scallan). Dist: NK 6L 2L (16 ran) (Jonathan Sweeney).

5 year old Geldings Maiden Div 1

1 Georgie Lad (P D Collins), 2 Stellar Notion (R P McNamara), 3 Stonehall Vic (M J O’Connor), 4 Master Tim (D Murphy). Dist: 1½L 4L 15L (15 ran) (Eoin Doyle).

5 year old Geldings Maiden Div 2

1 Red or White (L C Murphy), 2 Mr Mercurial (P D Collins), 3 Silver Grove (R P Quinlan), 4 Come On You (M J O’Connor). Dist: 1L 1L 10L (14 ran) (James Dullea).

5 year old Geldings Maiden Div 3

1 Knockanrawley (E P O’Brien), 2 Rock Me Zippo (P D Collins), 3 Jimmy Shan (C W Fennessy), 4 All Flash No Cash (M J O’Connor). Dist: 2L 2L 2L (15 ran) (Aidan Fogarty).

Confined Maiden

1 Shine A Diamond (E P O’Brien), 2 Golden Crisp (C W Fennessy), 3 Aine Saor (P S Kiely), 4 Always A Chance (R Quinlan). Dist: 10L 1L 1L (14 ran) (Adrian O’Shea).

Winners of One

1 Cork Citizen (Ms M O’Sullivan) (11-9), 2 Strideout Euro (C W Fennessy), 3 Forget N Forgive (M J O’Connor), 4 Val D’Auberge (Ms S Ahern) (11-9). Dist: NK 2L NK (15 ran) (Eugene O’Sullivan).

6 year old and up Maiden Div 1

1 What A Joke (R Kiely), 2 Jack Overbury (J Joyce) (11-9), 3 Hardy Morning (P S Kiely), 4 Peg Alainn (D Murphy). Dist: 1½L 3L ½L (16 ran) (Seamus Harte).

6 year old and up Maiden Div 2

1 Classic Jewel (E P O’Brien), 2 Premier Portrait (B O’Neill), 3 Subtle Ben (E Keating) (11-9), 4 Unda Doctas Orders (B J Crowley) (11-9). Dist: HD 2½L 3L (15 ran) (Ronan Curran).

6 year old and up Maiden Div 3

1 Mountain Cliché (B O’Neill), 2 The Jackdaw Roost (C W Fennessy), 3 Western Mist (M J O’Connor), 4 Chandrew (E P O’Brien). Dist: 1¼L 3L 4L (15 ran) (Colin Bowe).

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