THE promising partnership of rider David Doyle and handler Sam Curling continued to develop at the Co Limerick Foxhounds’ fixture at Rathcannon on Sunday, where the duo continued in their recent rich vein of form to record a memorable treble. It also brought up a first career hat-trick for the Co Tipperary-born rider, as he continues to impress in the saddle.

Gowitdflow (4/5 – 1/1 favourite) kick-started proceedings for the pair in the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden, which saw a field of only three runners go to post.

Having been settled behind the two leaders for most of the contest, Doyle produced the Policy Maker-sired debutante before the final fence, quickening clear up the run-in to score by three and a half lengths from Galactic Princess.

“She’s a lovely filly,” winning handler Curling remarked. “She finished up behind Lisronagh winner Arcadian Emperor in a schooling race. I own her with Joe Breen and Dan Breen, who is my farrier. It’s a pity there were only three runners today, but I think she’s a nice filly and she will go to a sale now.”

The next leg of the hat-trick came in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, as the well-related Kazansky (2/1 – 15/8 favourite) battled well under a strong Doyle drive to see off the challenge of fellow Derby Sale graduate Manners Matter by a length for winning owner, John O’Leary.

Kazansky hails from a strong jumping family, with his dam being a full-sister to Irish National winner Thunder And Roses and Grade 2 winner, Shirley Casper.

“He was just touched off the last day,” Curling explained. “He’s a lovely, big horse who we thought a lot of last year and just took a bit of time to develop. That was a nice performance today and he’ll go to the sales now.”

Dead-heat

The five and six-year-old mares’ maiden saw a thrilling conclusion as Tantivy Vavoom (7/4 – 2/1 joint-favourite) and Western Clouds (5/1 – 6/1) hit the line in unison, having been locked together in a fierce battle up the run-in and after a prolonged wait while deliberating the photograph, eventually the judge could not separate the two mares at the finish and called a dead-heat.

Tantivy Vavoom, who is owned by her handler Curling, travelled well throughout the contest and picked up smartly from the second-last fence with David Doyle to force a tie with her more experienced rival.

“She’s a nice mare by Order Of St George and this was an excellent performance on debut. She will head to the sales now,” Curling remarked.

The John Paul Brennan-trained Western Clouds showed a willing attitude and battled bravely up the run-in under Brian Barry to force the deadlock in what was a gripping finish. Running in the colours of her handler’s wife Marie, she stepped forward from her previous start at Oldcastle.

“The ground the last day was a little bit too soft for her, but she came forward from the run and she was good today,” Brennan explained. “We bought her in Doncaster as an unbroken four-year-old last May and she’s a grand filly. The better ground suited her today and she’s for sale now.”

THE remarkable start of upcoming sire Crystal Ocean in Irish point-to-points continued in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden as newcomer Crystal Island (3/1 – 9/4 favourite) overcame signs of inexperience to make a winning debut for Co Wexford handler, Eamonn Doyle.

An athletic type who takes the eye, he was sent off favourite in the colours of Mossy Fen Stables Partnership.

Always close to the pace, the Goffs Arkle Sale graduate moved through to lead before entering the home straight under Jamie Scallan.

Despite showing signs of greenness on the run-in, the pair went on to score by three and a half lengths from Kilnew Supreme.

“He’s a lovely big horse and Crystal Ocean looks to be a lovely sire,” Doyle explained, following the victory of the Kieran Cotter-bred bay.

“He was very green from the back of the last to the finish and there’s going to be loads of improvement in him. He’s for sale now.”

The winners-of-two contest for novice riders saw a field of nine runners head to post. In what was a truly run winners’ race, it was the Pat Doyle-trained seven-year-old Magic Sadler (7/4 – 6/4 favourite), who was sent to the front before the second-last fence by Pandora Briselden to skip clear and score by one and a half lengths from pace-setter Sampoet.

Briselden was registering a fourth success of the campaign and now joins Maxine O’Sullivan at the top of the lady riders’ standings.

The winning handler suggested that a tilt at the ladies title is now on the cards.

“We’ll have to have a crack at it now,” Doyle remarked. “This horse belongs to lovely owners, Pat and Mary Brogan, who drove the whole way down from Co Roscommon this morning.

“I thought he was going to win when jumping the third last in the maiden hunters chase at Thurles last month, but he just stopped and I would have put it down to the tacky ground.

“We’ll see what his owners say now with regards to where we go next with him.”

FAVOURITE-backers were sent home happy after the concluding six-year-old and upwards maiden, which saw the Anthony Murphy-owned and trained Black Soul (10/3 – 5/2 favourite) make all under a front-running ride by Mikey Kenneally.

This previous flat performer, who has been placed multiple times over trips ranging from seven furlongs to two and a half miles, had the 11-runner field strung out from an early stage while jumping and travelling well throughout the contest to beat Tippin And Tappin by two and a half lengths.

“We’re thrilled with him. It was his first time to run over three miles the last day, so we’re delighted he stepped forward from that run here today,” Murphy revealed.

“We’ll probably run him back on the level now, as he’s got a flat mark and he’s a versatile little horse with regards to ground and trip.”

Horse to Follow

Manners Matter(P.M.J. Doyle) is a big newcomer by Mahler who made an excellent debut to get to within a length of a more experienced winner. He looks to be a winner in waiting for connections.