WEXFORD riders Rob James and James Kenny shared the riding honours at last Sunday’s Galway Blazers meeting held at sunny Dartfield when partnering a double each.
The opening four-year-old maiden saw impressive debutant Glengouly provide James with the initial leg of his brace. Taking closer order from the halfway point, the Coastal Path gelding produced a taking turn of foot after the penultimate obstacle which saw him comfortably ease clear of his closest pursuer Bold Leader.
At the line, the Pat Doyle-handed bay was well on top and ultimately came home six lengths to the good of the Warren Ewing-trained Bold Leader.
“This horse has been showing us plenty since the spring but was just a little bit babyish and weak. The summer has done him the world of good though. He has loads of gears and is one to look forward to,” outlined the winning handler’s son Jack, of his mother Mary’s charge.
Former under-21 champion James partnered his fifth winner of the season when teaming up with Castlemartyr, Co Cork-trainer Matt Collins to claim the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden with Latino Fling.
The Milan mare, a fine second to the now Nicky Henderson-trained Ballingers Corner in Carrigarostig last January, travelled supremely well at all stages and was never unduly troubled to outpoint Pay The Woman by a distance.
“She ran a bit green first time out. Her work at home has been great so we’d have been disappointed if she didn’t win today. If she’s not sold she’ll go for a mares’ bumper next,” commented Pat Collins of the close relation of Savello who is shared between the successful handler and his brother-in-law Noel O’Brien.
Kenny brings up 20th winner on Tommy’s Oscar
SPORTING the silks of Colin Bowe’s Milestone Bloodstock Ltd aboard Tommy’s Oscar, Gorey-based James Kenny partnered the 20th points’ winner of his career in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Confirming the promise of a host of recent placed efforts, including when third at Ballingarry over three weeks previously, the winning horse, an Oscar gelding, capitalised on the final-fence departure of the leading Lostcityofgold to dismiss Sunnyvilla by 16 lengths.
“He’s a good consistent horse. He won on soft ground today and he’d probably be more effective on better ground. We were a long way clear of the rest today and he should be a nice versatile horse,” remarked Kenny.
The nine-runner open lightweight saw Kenny combine with A Rated, handled by his father Liam, to defy a 760-day absence and run out a convincing winner on his first start between the flags since November 2015.
Always in the front rank, the Patrick Redmond-owned nine-year-old fenced fluently throughout and galloped on stoutly in the latter stages to carry day by a length and a half from Rewritetherules.
Kenny said of the dual chase-winning son of Flemensfirth: “We’re delighted with that. He should sharpen up a bit from the run today and we’ll mix it between opens and hunter chases with him. He may go back to the track in time too.”
THE six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden confined to novice riders attracted the largest field of the day with 12 participants going to post, and victory ultimately went to the Thomas Geoghegan-ridden and trained Subset.
Given the office after negotiating the penultimate obstacle by Geoghegan, the successful son of Dahjee only needed to be kept up to his work from this juncture to dismiss the staying-on Hungry Tiger by eight lengths.
“This horse has just taken a couple of runs to come to hand this year and he’s getting more confidence in the jumping department also. We’ll look at a winner race for him now,” indicated Geoghegan of the six-year-old who races in the colours of his Tuam, Co Galway-based breeder/owner Peter O’Grady.
Garryhill, Co Carlow-pilot Ross Foley maintained his fine strike rate this season when guiding the Donnchadh Doyle-trained Er Dancer to a determined success in the closing winners-of-one contest. Following up his recent Necarne triumph, the Dragon Dancer gelding bravely came with a renewed effort under Foley to claim the spoils from last season’s Bandon victor Peggy Gordon by a short-head in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.
“Ross gave him a lovely ride again today and the horse picked up well for him there.
“He’s a nice fun horse for the lads in the yard and will probably be aimed at a winners-of-two or a maiden hunter chase next,” disclosed Doyle of the Monbeg Syndicate-owned bay.
Horse to follow
Up For Parol (M. Flynn O’Connor) This Flemensfirth-gelding was in the process of making a pleasing debut in the opening four-year-old maiden and was finishing to good effect when his saddle slipped rounding the home bend. He can make amends.
Dog’s luck for Geoghegan
WESTMEATH jockey Thomas Geoghegan was grinning from ear-to-ear following his triumph aboard Subset in the older geldings’ maiden. “I must admit I had quite a funny start to the day here. With the restrictions, when I was getting ready to weigh-out earlier, I left my saddle on the ground and a dog came over and shall we say left his mark on it!
“It must have been the luck we needed, hopefully the dog might be around the next day too!” said Geoghegan who was sending out his second winner as a handler.