Neil O’Donnell

THE Declan Queally-trained Fenno’s Storm has blossomed into a prolific sort this season and the seven-year-old continued on his upward trajectory by running his rivals ragged in the Rathbarry Stud & Cork Plastics open at Saturday’s rescheduled Ballindenisk fixture.

The seven-year-old Fenno’s Storm (4/7), also victorious in the coveted Tetretema Cup hunters chase at Gowran Park almost two months earlier, supplemented his success in the previous Saturday’s four-mile open at Lisronagh by making virtually all the running with his handler.

He gave a largely assured round of fencing apart from a blunder at the third last of the 12 obstacles.

The winning son of September Storm was clearly containing runner-up Drawn N Drank from two out and he ultimately beat Turlough O’Connor’s mount by a widening 12 lengths. Western Man, an excellent second to Sydney Paget at Moig South in late-March, meanwhile returned a further one and a half lengths adrift in third spot.

“If it kept raining, we might run him again this season. But, he could well be finished for the year and I hope that next year will be a very big one for him,’’ commented Queally of his cousin Maurice Walsh’s Fenno’s Storm.

LOCAL VICTORY

John O’Callaghan, who resides literally across the road from the track, has long since acted as the Ballindenisk clerk of course and the former accomplished amateur combined with long-standing ally Tom Feeney to collect the Coolmore, McCarthy Commercials & Aidan O’Shaughnessy five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden with the homebred Tourard Ways.

A six-year-old daughter of Misternando that’s out of a half-sister to the recently-deceased Glencairn View from the same family as Joe Lively, Tourard Ways (9/2) made an excellent career debut against the geldings’ to finish second behind The Alchemyst at Inch over Easter. She was always quite well-positioned in this 14-runner contest, the biggest field of the day, except that she appeared beaten in fifth spot on the run to two out at point by which Cloudy Music had picked up the running.

The bay however went into overdrive at this penultimate obstacle and she took the measure of runner-up Cloudy Music before the final fence en-route to obliging by an eased-down four lengths. O’Callaghan indicated that Tourard Ways, the only animal that he currently has in training, will now be aimed at a winners of one.

Cloudy Music’s handler/rider Mark Scallan earlier experienced better fortune by landing the opening Goffs UK Spring Sale four-year-old maiden with newcomer Robyndzone, much to the delight of the seven bookmakers present.

Robyndzone (10/1), a son of the Fraam stallion Frammassone, was always quite well-placed and he took up the running on the approach to two out.

The Co Wexford challenger held a slender advantage before the last, a one that he valiantly maintained to the line as he held on admirably in a driving three-way finish to beat Milvale and Eagle De Guye by a head and a head. Robyndzone, is owned by Scallan’s girlfriend Laura Roche, and the late May foal who is closely related to former Champion Hurdle winner Celtic Shot will now be offered for sale.

HUNTERS CHASE

The Jimmy Mangan-trained Trio For Rio paid a handsome compliment to his March Dromahane conqueror, the subsequent Cork hunters chase winner, Oscar Contender by sluicing home with Eoin O’Brien in the closing Geaney Property Developments winners of one.

Colonel Sam set out with the intention of making all here and he was tracked by the victorious five-year-old from the fifth last.

Trio For Rio (9/4 – evens) could be called the most likely winner once hitting the front before two out and he powered clear to dismiss Megaudis Speed by 10 lengths in the colours of breeder Barry O’Driscoll. Trio For Rio, who was most meritoriously having a seventh start of the campaign, may have one more run before being left off.

Shay Barry’s Debestyman stepped up from his fifth-placed Curraghmore debut effort over Easter by capturing the Tattersalls Ireland five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden in the hands of Rob James.

Debestyman (5/1) occupied a prominent position throughout and he moved past long-time leader General Arrow before two out. Although erring and then losing some momentum at this second-last fence, Debestyman was well in command on the approach to the final fence and the victorious son of Mahler ultimately defeated Worthapunt by six lengths.

Debestyman represents Denis Hayes from Kilmeadon and the east Waterford-based owner indicated that his bay will now be consigned to some of the forthcoming sales.

RED-LETTER DAY

It certainly was a red-letter afternoon for 19-year-old Mike Sweeney from Cappoquin as he partnered a first winner aboard Glorious Boru, whom Denis Ahern tends to for his wife Norah, in the Carey Tool Hire & Radisson Blue Hotel five-year-old and upwards confined hunt maiden.

Glorious Boru (2/1), having finished second at Knockanard back in February, bounced back from a somewhat below-par fifth-placed effort at Lisronagh the previous Saturday by storming clear from two out to dispose of the mare Qu’elle Brille by 12 lengths. Dairy-farmer Ahern, paying particular credit to Sweeney who rides out daily at his Dungourney base, suggested that Glorious Boru may now be targeted at a winners race.

Home win

There’s nothing quite like winning at home and John O’Callaghan, who lives across the road from the track, was mobbed by well-wishers after saddling Tourard Ways to win the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Tourard Ways was ridden by O’Callaghan’s long-time ally Tom Feeney. O’Callaghan has naturally enough trained winners at Ballindenisk before whilst Feeney has also sampled success here in the past. However, this was the first time that the pair combined to win a race at Ballindenisk and this victory was particularly sweet for Feeney as it was his 50th career winner.