GET a point-to-pointer and discover Ireland!
David Christie, it’s fair to say, discovered another part of Ireland on Sunday as he made his initial visit to the Clonakilty meeting, run under the auspices of the Carbery Foxhounds on the picturesque Inchydoney Island, a memorable one by saddling his outstanding mare Maple Mons to record her fifth success of the season in the Clonakilty Black Pudding & Clonakilty Point-To-Point Committee open.
On an afternoon that saw pristine ground conditions, Maple Mons (evens - 4/5) was bounced out in front and she led her four rivals until Ordinary Man edged ahead after the fifth last of the 15 obstacles. The winning daughter of Great Exhibtion was back in front from four out and, when the field reappeared with three fences remaining, she was gone beyond recall with Galloping Gander in vain pursuit.
With the latter then wilting from the last, it was House Rules that came through for second, but he was still some 20 lengths adrift of the victorious eight-year-old, who is owned by brothers David and Arron Charles from Donegal town.
Christie, who had an early start on the near seven-hour journey from his Derrylin base in south Fermanagh said: “It would be nice for Maple Mons to get recognised as a proper point-to-point mare and she has already won in counties Meath, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Fermanagh this season.”
O’NEILL DOUBLE
Maple Mons’ rider Barry O’Neill went on to post a two-timer for he then landed the concluding Spring Mount Stud & Clonakilty Point-To-Point Committee six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden aboard the Niall Kelleher-trained Artical Eleven.
The well-supported Artical Eleven (4/1-3/1) stepped up from his respectable seventh-placed effort behind Dick Darsie at Bartlemy two weeks earlier by similarly benefiting from front-running duties.
The towering six-year-old gave an exhibition of jumping at the head of affairs and was clearly travelling best from two out. He ran clear on the run to the final fence to dispose of Approaching Tide by 10 lengths in the colours of Phil Callaghan from Sixmilebridge. Inchigeelagh native Kelleher, who also started off Micky Hammond’s five-time chase winner Auldthunder in points, indicated that the clearly-useful Artical Eleven will now be targeted at a beginners chase.
O’Neill still trails championship leader Jamie Codd by six winners (63-57) for the Drinagh native likewise departed west Cork with two winners. He initially struck aboard clear form choice The Pipers Cottage in the McCarthy Greenbuild Construction five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
The Pipers Cottage (9/2), having finished second to Bridge Of Spies in a marginally more competitive contest at Maralin just eight days earlier, always took the eye in third spot as Lion Of Lackabane and Thepremierbroker took the 10 runners along.
The winning son of Milan moved through to assume command before two out and he stormed clear coming to the last to dismiss promising newcomer Streets Of Milan by a comprehensive five lengths.
The Pipers Cottage was bought privately by owner/trainer Pat Coffey as a three-year-old. Portroe-based Coffey has experienced an excellent campaign this season, mainly in his guise as an owner with Denis Murphy who has already sent out three individual four-year-old winners for him, including impressive Athlacca victor Lough Derg Spirit, who was sold for £190,000 at last week’s Tattersalls Ireland sale at Cheltenham.
The champion elect then landed the Clona winners of one aboard Bobby Cullen, owned and trained by the absent Mary Twohig from Upton.
The 10-year-old Bobby Cullen (2/1), having only won his maiden with the now-retired Con McSweeney at Dawstown on May 2nd, disputed the running with King Willie until going for home with five fences remaining. It appeared that the initiative was destined to fail though as runner-up Michealamaystar loomed up menacingly two out.
Indeed, it appeared that Michealamaystar was travelling the stronger of the pair until James Hannon got ever lower in the saddle on the run to the final fence. The eventual winner was the faster in the air here and he got on top inside the final 50 yards to win by a length. The indications are that Bobby Cullen will be seen in action this weekend, either at Kinsale or Ballingarry.
STELLAR
Wexford stables were responsible for all five horses in the Scallys SuperValu four-year-old maiden and Donnchadh Doyle continued his stellar season by saddling Rising Marienbard to make a victorious career debut in the hands of Jimmy O’Rourke.
The physically-imposing Rising Marienbard (6/1) and Barneys Honour disputed the running until the latter weakened with four fences remaining. Favourite Mick’s Wish, who made a few early jumping errors, moved through to challenge with every chance from two out.
Rising Marienbard was in no mood to be denied and he asserted as the line approached to eclipse the market-leader by a half-length in the familiar Monbeg Syndicate silks, despite Doyle’s reservations that the 2015 Derby sale graduate may not have been fully tuned-up for this assignment.
Declan Queally partnered his 14th winner of the season aboard Debbie Hartnett’s outsider Mystina in the Fernhill House Hotel & Gardens Clonakilty five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
Mystina (12/1), who served notice of ability before unseating at the final fence on her return to action at Liscarroll in late-March, was always quite well positioned and she moved through to challenge pacesetter Bridane Rebel two out. The clearly-useful Bridane Rebel only gave best from the final fence as Mystina assumed command in the closing stages to deny Seamus Spillane’s charge by one and a half lengths. Moonlight Whispers meanwhile was doing all of her best work at the finish, a further short head adrift in third spot.
Mystina is the first animal that Ms Hartnett has trained for John Coleman and this was the Donoughmore-based operator’s second winner from just three individual runners this term.
Burke a natural on commentary duty
Jonathan Burke, who hopes to be back in the saddle in time for the Galway Races, was the race caller at this meeting. His commentaries were precise and accurate throughout and it appears that he’s a complete natural behind a microphone.
Coffey’s happy hunting ground
Pat Coffey has experienced good fortune at Inchydoney over the years and The Pipers Cottage was actually his third winner at the ‘Clon’ venue. He sent out Theboyschoice to score in the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden here in 2012 and the following year, Denis Murphy saddled his Onenightinvienna, a subsequent 149-rated chaser for Philip Hobbs that was good enough to contest this year’s Aintree Grand National, to win the four-year-old maiden.