WEEK 28 8th-14th JULY 2013

Time flies as they say and we are into week 28 of 2013 with another 10 winners to report on this week from Avondhu area locals in the UK. Jonjo O’Neill chipped in with 5 winners, one of which was ridden by Richie McLernon, David O’Meara had 2 and flat jockeys Martin Lane and Liam Keniry recorded one winner each.

O’MEARA’S CHANCERY IS DIFFERENT CLASS

Fermoy trainer David O’Meara continues his unrelenting march towards that elusive century of winners in a calendar year, his Nawton yard in Yorkshire adding another two winners last week.

The first of those came with last week’s easy Haydock winner Chancery (11/4f) at York. Dropped down in trip in this class 4 1m2f contest and carrying the mandatory 6Lb penalty, Chancery was coming here at the top of his game. Ridden by Danny Tudhope, this five year old son of Street Cry was held up early in rear and making smooth headway down the outside at the 3f pole, he could be called the winner a long way from home.

Heading Prophesy (20/1) and stable-mate Eltheeb (17/2) well over 1f out, Tudhope and Chancery stretched clear for an emphatic three and three-quarter length win from the late finishing Barren Brook (14/1) back in second place.

Clocking a time almost one second inside standard at 2m 6.78secs, Chancery looks a bright prospect and will no doubt prove his worth upped in class to listed company sooner rather than later. Running off a mark of 82 here, he will feel the wrath of the handicapper now and a rating in the low 90’s will follow. Already listed placed under national hunt rules with a second in a Cheltenham bumper, Chancery will get his chance all going well against better opposition and may prove a good dual purpose horse if staying free of injury.

Roger Fell representing trainer David O’Meara went onto say, “The drop in trip seems to have made the difference to Chancery. He’s a big horse and has had a few problems, but he’s running well now.”

O’Meara’s second winner nearly didn’t happen as Lexington Place (6/4f) got stuck in a traffic jam for three hours on the way to Hamilton. Arriving only an hour before he was due to run in a class 6 handicap over 5f, this three year old son of Compton Place showed no ill effects of that troubled journey.

Ridden by promising apprentice David Bergin, Lexington Place was slowly away in his bid for a hat-trick of wins since joining O’Meara a month ago. With the pace steady, Bergin was easily able to make up ground he lost on the leaders and travelling strongly down the stand side, he came to challenge pacesetter Chloe’s Dream (4/1) at the furlong pole. Keeping on well if not idling once hitting the front, Lexington Place went on to score by half a length from second favourite Salvatore Fury (11/4) back in second place.

Running off 70 here, Lexington Place will now have to step up in class on reassessment. Life may become tougher, but considering all that went wrong leading up to and during this race, he may well be able to complete a four-timer. This was Bergin’s 23rd winner in total and he is in the right yard to bring him on even more.

David Bergin, jockey speaking to The Avondhu went on to say, “Lexington Place was stuck on the A74 for three hours and got there only one hour before the race. I arrived 30 minutes before the race after riding at York. He won a shade cosy in the end.”

MCLERNON AND WASP SWAT RIVALS

Liscarroll jump jockey, Richie McLernon makes the best of his opportunities and he rode a nice winner for his boss Jonjo O’Neill in the shape of four year old novice hurdler Portofino Wasp (6/4f) at Stratford last Sunday.

Contesting only his second hurdle race over 2m, Portofino Wasp was sent to post a warm favourite on the back of just an ordinary hurdle debut at Uttoxeter at the end of June. In what looked a poor race with just 5 runners, McLernon’s task was made all the easier with the departure of Snowball (3/1) at the fifth flight of hurdles. Travelling well if not a little keen around the outside, Portofino Wasp came to challenge Moscow Me (2/1) just before the second last. Still looking green, McLernon held on to his mount until they jumped the last flight. Pushed out half way up the run-in, this son of Fermoy stallion Milan went on to score by eight lengths from the aforementioned Moscow Me, who was heavily eased close home. A half brother to smart jumper Ohio Gold, Portofino Wasp is still learning and it will be interesting to see how he fares with a penalty against better opposition.

Richie McLernon jockey speaking to The Avondhu went onto say, “Portofino Wasp really learned from his first run and I was delighted with how he did it. Hopefully he will continue on the up. “

Castletownroche native Jonjo O’Neill went on to record another four winners last week, all of which were ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy. These winners were Another Hero (5/4f), Favoured Nation (4/1), Whistling Senator (5/1) and Cut The Cards (5/4f). All four horses are owned by Jackdaws patron, JP McManus and confirms the yard is in rude health with 29 winners now in the bag over jumps this season. Long may it continue.

LANE COMES UP TRUMPS AGAIN ON NAVE

Kilworth flat jockey, Martin Lane did exactly as predicted in this column two weeks ago and followed up his easy Windsor win on Nave (7/4) with another success on the David Simcock trained six year old at Epsom Downs. Running with a 6Lb penalty in a class 4 handicap over 1m4f, this son of Pulpit suddenly looks highly progressive for his Newmarket handler.

Dropped out in rear early in this 7 runner contest, Lane was happy to bide his time. Making his move around the outside into the home straight, Nave looked to be travelling all over his rivals. Passing the faltering Mighty Clarets (5/1) at the 2f pole, Nave was pushed clear by Lane inside the final furlong. Despite drifting left on to the rail, Nave went on to record a comfortable four length win from Tingo In The Tale (12/1) back in second place.

It’s not often you see a one-sided handicap these days, but if ever there was one this was it. Still looking well handicapped on 76 it would be no surprise to see Nave complete a hat-trick of wins if turned out quickly again. Considering he came out of Mark Johnston’s yard and hadn’t won for nearly three years up to two weeks ago, it’s hard to put a finger on where this improvement has come from.

Martin Lane jockey went onto say, “How do you explain that? Can’t win for three years and then bolts up twice in 11 days. To be fair, I knew going to post that he was in the same form. He’s got a new lease of life.”

KHELAC ONE TO FOLLOW FOR KENIRY

Killeagh flat jockey Liam Keniry again found the winners enclosure last week with the Philip Hide trained three year old Khelac (5/1) at Lingfield Park.

Contesting a class 6 handicap over 1m 1f on fast ground, this son of Kheleyf couldn’t have done it more easily. Breaking well from a wide stall position in this 10 runner contest, Keniry got a good sit just behind the leaders in third place. Running and a bit keen in second time blinkers, Khelac travelled smoothly off an even pace set by Richard Hughes on Pink Mischief (8/1).

Seemingly handling the downhill turn into the home straight, it was all Keniry could do to hold on to Khelac who was now tanking along in his hands. Joining Pink Mischief just before the 2f pole, Keniry kicked on and quickly put five lengths between himself and the field. Entering the final furlong you could be excused for saying this horse was winning like a 1/20 shot. Heavily eased inside the last half a furlong, Khelac went onto win by two and a quarter lengths from Kensington Gardens (8/1) back in second place.

Khelac looks to have improved no end for the fitting of blinkers on this, his debut win and he should have little trouble following up if turned out quickly under a penalty in the coming days. Rated only 60 here, he holds multiple entries on Wednesday and Thursday this week and is one step ahead of the handicapper on this evidence.

Philip Hide trainer went onto say, “He’s been very disappointing and finished stone last when I took him to Nottingham expecting him to win, but I was quite pleased with his run at Beverley last week and the ground wasn’t a worry. We need to be pressing on with him now.”

KEEP THE FAITH WITH VAUGHAN PAIR

Rockmills trainer Ed Vaughan was two-handed in last week’s Bunbury Cup at Newmarket with Redvers (5th) and Dance And Dance (4th). Both horses ran their hearts out to finish alongside each other in 4th and 5th, with only a neck between the two. There is possibly a big handicap in one of these horses this season, and this writer for one will be closely monitoring their entries in the coming weeks.