THE North Galway’s point-to-point boasts a decorated roll of honour with a number of noted top-level performers having graced the lands of Michael Cunningham at Belclare.
The four-year-old maiden at last year’s renewal produced the highly regarded Romeo Coolio who is a live contender for the Champion Bumper and it looks as if it has produced two more quality individuals who could be destined for a bright future on the racecourse.
Derek O’Connor’s red-hot strike rate this season in the four-year-old division showed no signs of stopping as he unleashed what looks like another talented recruit in Pure Steel (6/4 – 5/2) who carried the famous green and gold silks of J.P. McManus.
The son of Yeats, who was a €70,000 store purchase at the Goffs Arkle sale, benefitted from a patient Eoin Mahon ride, as he was content to sit close to the rear for much of the contest.
After making eye-catching headway before three out, he unleashed a strong challenge at the last, and showed a fine battling attitude to get the better of the front-running Colin Bowe-trained Time Is A Thief to score by a neck.
Speaking afterwards O’Connor commented: “I have to compliment the jockey, it was a peach, it was a beautiful ride. Standing on the ground I was quite nervous, so to watch a man put in a display like that on a horse makes it a lot easier.”
The Ross O’Sullivan-trained Howya Luveen (3/1) provided owner-breeders the Downtown Syndicate with a memorable success in the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden.
A grey daughter of Yeats, she travelled strongly throughout and caught the eye with the manner in which she fenced with great fluency.
Always sitting a close second throughout the contest, she improved to dispute the lead four out and showed an impressive turn of foot as she quickened smartly to the line to score by three lengths, supplying rider Lee Shanahan with a fourth career success.
“She a mare who could progress again as she’s only learning the ropes,” O’Sullivan said. “Her first two runs were on soft ground and that’s what caught her out a little bit, but on good ground she’s a different filly. Lee, who rode her, he’s with me the last few years he’s a great rider very natural horse man”.
Consistent
The ever-consistent Peggys Rock (5/1) continued her fine form for the Mick Goff yard as she made all in the winners’ of two.
A striking chestnut daughter of Mount Nelson with a distinctive white blaze and white socks, she bounced back from a below-par effort at Kirkistown last month, which had come only six days after her latest victory in Ballinaboula.
Despite being joined two out by the eventual second Grange Soldier, who held every chance the winner, the Catriona Goff-owned mare, was not for passing and showed a likeable attitude to triumph by three lengths.
“I made a mess of it the last day, she had won in Ballinaboula and I ran her after six days which was crazy on my part but she’s back to herself there today,” Goff said.
“She’s after winning on bottomless ground in Toomebridge and it is a little bit holding out there today to I don’t think ground makes much difference to her. She’s very tough and game.”
HAVING occupied the runners-up berth on debut, Epic West (5/4), a son of Mount Nelson, showed good improvement on that Lisronagh outing last month to claim the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden to score by three lengths.
Having tracked the leader in fourth for much of this contest, the Donnchadh Doyle-trained bay made smooth progress under Barry O’Neill to take it up at two out and asserted on the run to the last to defeat As The Fella Says by three lengths.
Boasting a fine pedigree, being out of a half-sister to Snoopy Loopy who scored eight times under rules, the Monbeg Syndicate-owned five-year-old has been with connections since being purchased for €35,000 as a foal.
The seven-year-old and upwards maiden went the way of the Eoin McCarthy-trained Younowhatimean (5/1) who carried the silks of loyal supporter Sean Maguire to a three quarter-length victory.
The Alan O’Sullivan-ridden son of Jet Away appeared to put his last run at Cragmore behind him and he produced what was a career best fending off the challenge of Walk Easy and Limerick handler Eoin McCarthy reported that the seven-year-old would likely head to Downpatrick for a hunter chase.
WINGED Leader (2/5 – 1/2 favourite) headed to post for the open as a red-hot favourite and looked to double his tally for the season after a smooth success at Farmacaffley last month, and he showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with in the division.
Sent to the head of affairs by Barry O’Neill after a circuit in what proved to be a decisive move, and it was a position that the John Hegary and Jennifer O’Kane-owned bay would never surrender from that point as he defeated Wise Move by three lengths.
Speaking afterwards David Christie stated: “It’s been a while since I was down here and I was wondering should I run him because it’s so sharp around here and he’s an out and out stayer, but Barry said he felt as good as ever out there today.
“He was a joy to watch out there. We will stay running him, but the ground will be a big dictator. I don’t want to run him on good ground.”
Horse to Follow
Deravarra Rose (C. M. Murphy): This daughter of Soldier Of Fortune, who was an unlucky final-fence faller at Oldtown a month earlier, gained her second placed finish of the campaign with what was a career-best performance in the mares’ maiden. If she can improve again on this she will be hard to oppose next time out.