DONNCHADH Doyle continued his excellent record in the four-year-old category when taking the second division of the Dennison Commercials-sponsored maiden with the Monbeg Syndicate-owned newcomer Allbarone (5/2 – 3/1 joint favourite).

A €24,000 graduate of the Goffs Land Rover Sale, the September Storm gelding quickened clear from long-time leader First Earl on the run in, under Rob James to score by four lengths from the Richard Black-trained runner-up. The Ian Ferguson-trained debutant Irish Hill stayed on from off the pace to take third a further two and a half lengths back.

The first foal is out of bumper and hurdle winner Tippeenan Lass, and winning jockey Rob James commented: “He’s a lovely, big horse with a high cruising gear. He loved the ground and jumped like a buck. He should improve plenty for that experience and he will be sold now.”

Derek O’Connor carried Wilson Dennison’s black and white colours to victory in the opening division of this race as he steered Eaglehill (2/1 – 3/1 – 2/1 favourite) to a facile success. Having caught the eye when finishing second at Damma House on his previous start, the grey gelding made much of the running and bounded clear to score by eight lengths from the Patrick Turley-trained newcomer Tareeshar, under Declan Lavery.

The winning handler Colin McKeever remarked: “We can put a line through his form in the spring. He has improved with each run this season and he’s definitely going the right way. The last day he was second (at Damma House) he seemed to be staying on so we made more use of him today. He will head to the sales now and should make into a nice staying chaser.”

The Fidelma Toole-owned The Echo Boy (2/1 – 6/4 favourite), from the in-form Dermot McLoughlin stable, supplemented his Loughanmore maiden success in the Wilsons Auctions winners of one. Lar O’Carroll’s mount was always travelling well and produced an exhibition of jumping from the front. Challenged from the penultimate fence by the Gearóid O’Loughlin-trained and recent Lisronagh maiden winner Sidetracked, the son of Arcadio proved another class and was able to quicken clear on the run in for an easy two-length success.

“My only concern was that it might be too soon since his win at Loughanmore, but Lar (O’Carroll) said he felt great and he loved it out in front pinging each fence. He’s a lovely horse and seems to be improving. He will get a break now and we will decide in the new year where to go next,” said McLoughlin.

DOUBLE UP

Coastal Tiep (4/6 – 1/1 favourite) was another Loughanmore winner to double up at the County Down venue in the J.A. Electrical Services open race. Sent off favourite under Ben Crawford, the six-year-old was produced with his run soon after the penultimate fence and with a host of challengers at the last fence, the son of Coastal Path quickened clear in the closing stages from Chosen Dream and Sambremont to cross the line with four length to spare.

“We are still learning about this horse and I think he only does what he needs to do. He could run in the Down Royal hunter chase at Christmas and we will probably stick to the hunter chase route with him,” remarked winning handler Stuart Crawford.

Former champion jockey Jamie Codd partnered the Norman Geraghty-trained Larry Looby (2/1 – 3/1) to victory in the Strangford Arms Hotel five-year-old geldings maiden initiating a double for the Wexford rider.

A close third at Largy in April, the son of Golden Lariat was making his seasonal reappearance and he rallied late under a strong drive from Codd to lead close home recording a three-quarter-length success over the Shane Donohue-trained Destination Dylan in a thrilling finish.

A brother to Timber House, a points winner for Tom Keating, the five-year-old is out of a sister to Colm Murphy’s four-time winner Frontier Lady. Geraghty commented: “He was unlucky not to win the first day he ran as the saddle slipped at Castletown and then he wasn’t beaten far at Largy. He is a lovely horse and if not sold he will go for a winners’ race.”

Jamie Codd recorded his double in the concluding six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden on the Jim Dreaper-trained debutant Too Wise Man (4/7 – 4/5F). With only four-runners going to post, the son of Dansant made much of the running with Flinders River and was sent on before the last. The Leon Tormey-owned gelding easily scored by five-lengths from Clare Cannon’s Okey Dokey.

Dreaper indicated that the winner will now be sold. A half-brother to £110,000 Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales graduate Danse Idol, who finished within two lengths of Champion Bumper winner Relegate, Dreaper added: “He’s a lovely horse that Leon (Tormey) bought down in Cork this time last year. He jumped well and does everything right.”

Shane Fitzgerald was seen to good effect on the Graham McKeever-trained Brophies Doll (3/1 – 5/1) in the BRG Autohub five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden. Second on her previous start behind The Crafty Touch at Moira, the daughter of Gamut held a slight advantage when left in the lead three-out and stayed on best before the last to record a six-length success from the Stuart Crawford-trained Largy Princess.

Carrying the colours of former jockey James Jenkins, Brophies Doll is a half-sister to seven-time winner Storm Of Swords and is from the same pedigree as graded winners Gunner Welburn and Calling Wild. “She was green earlier in the year but has improved with each run in the autumn. Shane gave her a great ride. He rode her first time out at Loughanmore and gets on well with her. She jumps well and she was still full of running. She could run in a winner’s race if not sold,” remarked the winning owner Jenkins.

Horse To Follow

IRISH HILL (I. R. Ferguson): Was staying on notably at the finish in the second division of the four-year-old maiden under Derek O’Connor. The Presenting gelding has a nice pedigree and he would be hard to oppose next time.

Jones takes over

NORTH Down huntsman Barry Jones took over the role as clerk of the course for the first time at the County Down venue. Barry did a fantastic job and the course was in great condition with a great covering of grass.

Thanks, mum

JAMES Jenkins was clearly delighted with the success of his Brophies Doll in the mares’ maiden but couldn’t take all the credit for purchasing the mare. He commented: “The only reason I have her is because my mother, Heather, picked her out at the sales as a three-year-old and really liked her. We have options now but I will have to check with mum about what we will do with her next.”

RIP Peggy Kerr

THE point-to-point community was saddened to learn at Kirkistown last weekend of the passing of Peggy Kerr. A local woman from Ballygowan, Peggy trained point-to-pointers for many years with her late brother Tom Kerr. They had many successes and were widely known in point-to-point history since the 1950s. Peggy was buried in Ballygowan last Monday.