THE rolling hills of Taylorstown were graced by a lovely day, but the ground had felt the effect of this recent sunny spell with the going described as Good, Good to firm in places.
Barry O’Neill showed his usual class as he recorded a treble on the day, with the first of these being Lady Doyanne (11/4 - 7/2), who improved massively from her debut start at Cragmore.
The Doyen filly was settled behind the pace before moving to dispute the lead and then readily quickening clear by nine lengths, from the rejuvenated Cross Of Redmoor, for owner John Dawson, who forked out €52,000 for the racy filly as a store.
Barry O’Neill stated: “She won very easy. She made a bad mistake the last day and the ground was pretty bad, so we weren’t hard on her as she loves a bit of nice ground.”
The second leg of O’Neill’s treble was also the first of two winners for esteemed handler David Christie, as former top performer Vaucelet (1/3 - 1/2 favourite) recorded his first success since 2022 in the open.
The 10-year-old gelding travelled well for the first two circuits; however, he came under a strong drive for most of the final lap. He responded to every urging and was upsides Samurai Cracker jumping the last and, to his credit, he fended off the late surge of Champagne Court to score by a head for John Hegarty and Jennifer O’Kane.
Tough battles
“He’s had a tremendous career, with some very tough battles at the top level. He’s just not the same horse that he used to be, but we decided to give him a break and bring him back when the ground was good,” said Christie.
“There’s plenty of improvement left in him there after today, because I think that’s the way he likes to be trained. I was delighted the way he battled all the way through the line.”
To round off their sequence of wins, the aforementioned pair teamed up with King In The Park (9/4 - 7/2) in the winner-of-one.
Given a very similar ride to the previous winner, this enigmatic son of Walk In The Park had to be humoured along intermittently on the final circuit, but he certainly travelled better than when shedding his maiden tag on his penultimate run.
Fought gamely
The six-year-old disputed the lead after the third-last and was upsides two others jumping the last with the oncoming Passing Diamond proving to be the final challenger, but to his credit he fought gamely, just lasting home by a short head.
Owner-trainer David Christie reported: “My horses were sick when he ran in Kirkistown, so he wasn’t totally right. Ground doesn’t matter to him, but we thought the hills would really suit him as he’s a right old monkey. He has loads of ability, jumps for fun.
“We’ll go another winners’ race and then we might head for the maiden hunters’ chase in Downpatrick at the end of the season.”
A WEXFORD raid of Newry took place in the opening two contests, as the Doyle brothers captured the four and five-year-old geldings’ maidens.
In the first race, which featured only four runners, Freshers Week (1/1 - 5/4 joint-favourite) stayed on well close home for Cormac Doyle.
Purchased from Jamie Codd’s Churchland’s Stables at the Derby Sale for €30,000, this son of Crystal Ocean was prominent throughout and, although jumping left, he was losing minimal ground doing so.
The chesnut made his challenge at the second-last before going on thereafter, but he faced a huge threat from the fast-finishing Son Of Tyran who just failed by a neck.
Green
“He was very green coming here; we were afraid he might be too green,” commented rider Darragh Higgins.
“I sat in and took a lead and, after the third-last, he was full of running, so I let him stride away from there. I jumped the last, landed in front and he was very green to the line, so he will improve a lot for this.
“He has plenty of gears and galloped the whole way to the line, it took me into the next field to get him pulled up.”
Made no mistakes
Sean Doyle won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Park Talk (7/4 - 6/4 favourite), who has finished second on his last two starts.
Unsold in the Cheltenham sale for £48,000, the fine model by Walk In The Park made no mistakes he was also prominent and made his challenge after two out. The bay was still half a length down jumping the last, but he stayed on strongly thereafter and won going away with a length back to Cloghan Castle.
“He was very good,” exclaimed rider Jamie Scallan. “His last two runs he was second both times and probably unlucky not to win, so coming here we thought he’d win alright.
“I’d imagine he’ll head to the Punchestown sale now.”
ONLY four horses took part in the concluding older geldings’ maiden, with very little attractive form to go on, but Grattan Street (3/1 - 7/2) prevailed in another exciting finish.
Breaking his duck at the fourth attempt, the bay son of Snow Sky was dropped out, but he made smooth progress down the back to hit the front before two out.
Held on
He was then left five lengths clear by the faller and did start to paddle after the last, but managed to hold on from the fast-finishing Mayor Kingston by half a length for owner-trainer Willie Murphy.
Winning jockey Patrick Gleeson stated: “He jumped and travelled well. The ground today was really the key to him I’d say. I rode him cold enough and his jumping down the back took him into it, but I got left there far too soon with the faller at the second-last, but he had plenty in the tank.
“He’s good enough to be competitive in a winners’ race now.”
Cloghan Castle (I. McCarthy): He is by Berkshire out of a Flemensfirth mare, which is a perfect mix of speed and stamina for this sphere.
He was an inexpensive foal at €6,500 and this was his eighth start now, but this five-year-old has shown improved form since making the running.