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Another Dubai winner for Avondhu area racing connections, the second of 2014, with the 50 winner mark now being reached so early in the year.

WEEK 6 - 3rd- 9th FEBRUARY, 2014

Another seven winners to report from Avondhu area locals in the UK and Dubai, taking us up to 50 winners since the start of 2014.

O'MEARA BREAKS NEW GROUND IN MEYDAN

Fermoy native and trainer, David O'Meara, recorded two winners last week and left his mark on the international racing scene, with Mont Ras (6/1), who took the CEPSA Mile Handicap (Turf) at Meydan, Dubai, on February 6th last.

Chalking up his first ever win in Dubai, from just eight runs, O'Meara and his team should be proud of the fact that they bought this seven year old son of Indian Ridge for a bargain £8,500, back in 2010, when he was rated a lowly 62 and still a maiden. Roll on three years and Mont Ras fits the philosophy and mindset of what David O'Meara is all about, winning here for the ninth time from just 22 starts for the yard, off a mark of 101.

Having had two runs on the Tapeta surface at Meydan over recent weeks, Mont Ras, was switched back to turf, in this ultra competitive looking handicap. Ridden by William Buick, he broke well and got into a perfect posse, up the inside of runners, just a length off the early leader Disa Leader (11/1). With the pace even, Buick settled his mount well, and turning off the home turn, made his move on switching off the rail, between runners. Challenging between Disa Leader and Derbaas (16/1) well over two furlongs out, Mont Ras responded well to his jockey’s urgings and hit the front, well inside the last 200yds, holding off the challenge of race favourite, El Estrueadoso (2/1f), by half a length.

Owned by the jubilant Colne Valley Racing, Mont Ras has now taken his earnings to almost £150,000 and has nothing left to prove to anyone. A penalty will make life tougher again in handicaps and O'Meara may have to find a listed or graded race for his globe trotting star.

O'Meara went onto record a double on the day, when his Dansili Dutch (14/1) took the Coral Mobile Apprentice Handicap (C6), over 1m1f, at Wolverhampton under jockey Jack Garrity. Recording her sixth win and third over course and distance, this grey five year old daughter of Dutch Art, got a good run off a solid pace and won going away by one and a quarter lengths. Jack Garrity, winning jockey, went onto say, “I went the brave route up the inside, but she is as game as they come and answered all my calls.”

David O'Meara now sits on six winners for the 2014 flat season.

O'NEILL'S SWING STILL ON THE UP

Castletownroche native and trainer, Jonjo O'Neill, kept up his winning momentum, taking the Betfair Handicap Hurdle (C2), with Upswing (11/4f), over 3m at Newbury, on February 8th last. Ridden by Tony McCoy, this six year old son of Beneficial, recorded his best performance to date, off a career high mark of 128, in what looked a decent race on paper.

Upped in trip after been raised 5lb for falling at the last, on his latest start at Wincanton, Upswing looked to have plenty on his plate here. Held up in rear, in this ten runner contest and sometimes sloppy at his jumps, Upswing made steady progress to three out and looked to be travelling just as well as Rydon Pynes (9/1), who had kicked some five lengths clear of the field, jumping the second last. Coming under a strong ride from McCoy, Upswing began to eat into that deficit approaching the last flight.

Only two lengths down over the last, Upswing got the full McCoy treatment and on getting to Rydon Pynes’ girth, duly wore down that game leader, getting his head in front close home, to score by half a length.

Lightly raced and still looking progressive after this, his third win from just nine starts, Upswing is qualified for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, but is another O'Neill inmate who isn't sure to get into the race at the weights.

Jonjo O'Neill, winning trainer, went onto say, “I think we can put that one down to the jockey. He is a soft horse, but if you had McCoy on your back, it would help make your mind up.”

O'Neill now sits in third place in the jump trainers’ championship, with 113 winners. His Jackdaws team having amassed almost £1 million in prize-money this season.

HARDING KEEPS THE WINNERS ROLLING

Castletownroche native and jump jockey, Brian Harding, picked up where he left off last week, riding a single winner aboard the Stuart Coltherd trained, Fozy Moss (12/1), in the 32Red.com Novices' Handicap Chase (C4), over 3m at Carlisle, on February 5th last.

Recording his first win under rules at the 12th attempt, this home-bred, eight year old son of And Beyond, showed a good attitude in testing ground conditions, seeing off Farm Pixie (13/2) by a head, up a stiff Carlisle hill.

Wearing a first time tongue-tie, Fozy Moss did well here, having raced keen in the early stages of this eight runner contest. Always up in the van under Harding, he tracked early pacesetter and race favourite, Whiskey Ridge (7/2f), until taking up the lead fully six fences from home. Travelling well to two out, Fozy Moss had one challenger left, Farm Pixie, who loomed large in Harding's wing mirrors, travelling just as well. With both horses in the air together over the last, it was a ding-dong battle all the way up this testing run-in. Always getting that bit more from his mount, Harding and Fozy Moss duly held off the determined challenge of Farm Pixie by a head, despite edging left into that rival all the way to the line.

After disappointing on his previous two starts, Fozy Moss reportedly choked on his latest outing at Ayr. The addition of a tongue-tie seems to have helped him no end and after showing signs of ability with two good seconds at Hexham at the end of last year, he can now go on from here. With an official rating of just 81, he has plenty of scope to follow up this win, under similar conditions. Fozy Moss held an entry at Musselburgh on February 12th.

Stuart Coltherd, training his 11th winner this season from just 55 runs, went onto say, “We put the tongue-tie on today because he choked slightly last time out at Ayr, and it seems to have made a difference.”

Brian Harding was recording his 25th winner of the season.

KENIRY DOES IT EASY ON TIGER

Killeagh native and flat jockey, Liam Keniry, added a further two winners to his ever increasing season’s total, which now runs into double figures. His most notable win came aboard the David Simcock trained Tigers In Red, in the Ladbrokes Maiden Stakes (C5), over 7f at Southwell, on February 9th last. Making his racecourse debut, this three year old son of Breeders Cup Sprint winner, Speightstown, took this maiden with little fuss and looks a smart type in the making. Tracking the early leaders, off a decent looking pace, Tigers In Red, travelled sweetly in Keniry's hands. Getting a good tow into the race to the two pole, this colt duly picked off the leaders, Captain Swift (8/1) and On Demand (5/4f) easily. Leading well over a furlong out, he showed good acceleration to put this race to bed, by a cosy looking two and a half lengths.

Well related and a half brother to group placed winner Snowboarder, Tigers In Red cost a healthy £80,000 as a breeze-up two year old, in April 2013. He can go onto better things and looks an ideal horse for synthetic surfaces.

Keniry's second and final win came aboard the Neil Mulholland trained, The Young Master (3/1Jf), in the Book Hospitality At Kempton Handicap (C6), over 2m at Kempton Park, on February 3rd last.

This admirable five year old son of Echo Of Light, was recording his fourth win on the bounce, back here on the flat, after two recent wins over hurdles. He has now won five of his last six completed starts, after been astutely placed by his young trainer and is still only rated a lowly 51 on the all weather. He held another entry at Lingfield this Wednesday, February 12th. Keniry is now on the 11 winner mark for the 2014 flat season.

LEAN BURN TOUGHS IT OUT UNDER RING

Freemount native and jump jockey, Conor Ring, was again seen to good effect aboard the Barry Leavy trained Lean Burn (5/2f), taking the EventMasters Catering Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (C5), over 2m at Doncaster, on February 6th last.

Getting a first time leg up, on this eight year old son of Johannesburg, Ring dropped out his mount early doors in this ten runner contest, biding his time off what looked a modest pace. Sighted travelling well behind runners approaching the third last, Lean Burn took closer order up the inside of runners, under a motionless Ring. With the early leader, Wheelavim (100/1), now feeling the pinch and Baraboy (20/1) hitting the lead, Ring asked his mount for more effort going into the wings of the second last. The response was not immediate and hanging off a true line towards the centre of the track, Lean Burn was still some two lengths down jumping the last. Gathered up and driven out by Ring, it was clear that Lean Burn was up for the fight and slowly but surely he wore down Baraboy in the latter stages of this contest, going onto to snatch the race close home, by half a length.

Recording his fifth win in all, Lean Burn, hadn't visited the winners circle since November 2012. Running second off the same mark of 79 on his previous start, at Uttoxeter in December, he wasn't winning out of turn here. The first and fourth from that Uttoxeter race have won since and he will go without a penalty if showing up in a non-conditional handicap in the next week or so.

Conor Ring, speaking exclusively to The Avondhu, went onto say, “He travelled well into the race and he was very tough in the closing stages.” Barry Leavy, winning trainer, commented, “We have had to be very patient with Lean Burn, as we have struggled to get his blood 100 per cent right.” Ring was riding his 10th winner of the season.

A special mention again for Avondhu Lady who won the Opera Hat Mares Chase, over 2m at Naas, last Saturday. Trained in Fermoy by David Fenton and ridden by Mark Enright, the Richard Flynn owned mare was recording her fifth win under rules and is a credit to all those concerned.

Total UK wins 2014 = 48. Total wins Dubai = 2.

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