Michael Duggan

FINAL Gift (9/4 joint-favourite) turned in an excellent performance when running out a facile winner of the Connolly’s Red Mills Lady Riders open lightweight at last Sunday’s North Tipperary Foxhounds fixture at Nenagh.

Trained at Newmarket-on-Fergus in Co Clare by John Costello for his mother Josephine, Final Gift was ridden by Katie Walsh who sent the son of Old Vic to the front on the approach to the home straight.

The nine-year-old quickly asserted his authority when powering away to beat only other finisher The Hard Hat by a distance.

“He did it well and I’m delighted for my mother who is originally from just out the road in the Silvermines,” said Costello.

“I had this fellow in a handicap chase in Thurles recently, but I felt he needed a bit more time to get over his last run at Dromahane so we opted to come here.

“He has had a few problems over the years, but he’s a decent horse and we’ll probably go for a hunter chase with him. I think he’s good enough to winner a handicap chase on the track as well.”

Racing opened with the competitive liambuckleycarsales.com five-year-old geldings’ maiden where 6/1 shot Robin Of Locksley scored under a power-packed ride from Stephen Clements.

Shay Barry’s newcomer Etiopi Marine (4/1-4/6 favourite) was all the rage here, but his interest ended when Kevin Power’s mount was brought down at the first fence.

At the business end, Robin Of Locksley and Mister Don fought out a terrific finish with Clements’ mount just shading it to score by a head.

Martin Hassett, who trains the winner at his Killenaule, Co Tipperary yard for his wife Deirdre, reported: “I’m delighted with that and he was just spot-on for today. He has been unlucky up to now and is a serious horse with a big future.

“We have always thought the world of him and couldn’t see him being beaten. If he’s not sold in the interim, he’ll go to the Brightwells Sale at the Cheltenham Festival.”

Sam Curling and Roger Quinlan, who had to settle for the runner-up spot with Mister Don, had better luck in the Local Trainers’ six-year-old geldings’ maiden where the pair scored with 7/1 chance Sid Seven.

Left in front four out this Westerner gelding, who is owned by his breeder Tadhg O’Leary from nearby Roscrea, showed good resolution when seeing off all comers to beat runner-up After Hours by 10 lengths.

“This horse is improving all the time and has been a bit unlucky not to have won before now,” stated-Cashel-based Curling.

“It’s super to win here as the owner is local and will get a great kick out of it. We’ll have a look at a winners’ race now and going to the track with him is also an option.”

Cork jockey Eoin O’Sullivan and his trainer father Eugene combined to good effect to land the Carey Glass winners of one with Curraghbower (9/2).

Returning from a 274-day lay-off, this son of Winged Love lacked for nothing in the fitness stakes when staying on powerfully in the closing stages to beat only other finisher Candle Island by 10 lengths.

“This is a nice horse and I’m very pleased with that display,” reported O’Sullivan senior. “He pulled a muscle last season and we gave him plenty of time to get over that. He’s a full-brother to Posh Bird who finished second in the Eider Chase at Newcastle for Peter Niven. He’ll go to Clonmel now for a hunter’s chase if he gets in.”

Clonmel, Co Tipperary owner-trainer Tom Keating was on the mark in the Millerect Ltd seven-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden where his Liz Lalor-ridden Have A Go Hero (7/2) ran out an emphatic winner.

Sent to the front early in the home straight, Have A Go Hero quickly sealed the deal when forging away to deny Cormac Flannery’s Under The Red Sky by 15 lengths.

“I felt this horse’s jumping let him down the last day at Ballindenisk (finished third), but he jumped much better today,” stated Keating. “He’s only run twice in points and we’ll go for a winners’ race as the experience will stand to him. Further down the road he’ll probably go the hunter chase route.”

Robert Tyner, who saddled a double at Dungarvan, completed an across-the-card treble when Simple Steps (3/1) registered a very comfortable success in the concluding Agritech five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden for novice riders.

A first-ever winner for Kilkenny jockey Larry O’Carroll, Simple Steps, who carries the colours of the Don’t Tell The Wife syndicate from Riverstick, Co Cork, was in the van all the way and this daughter of Tikkanen showed good reserves of stamina to beat runner-up Cloud Of Gold by 15 lengths.

Mary Tyner, representing her Kinsale, Co Cork-based husband Robert, divulged: “It’s super for the owners who are an enthusiastic bunch as this is their first venture into ownership. Everything went right for this mare today and she’ll probably go for a winners’ race next.”

First time up for O’Carroll

SUNDAY was a red-letter day for Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny jockey Larry O’Carroll who posted his first success in the saddle aboard Robert Tyner’s mare Simple Steps in the finale.

The 24-year-old divulged: “I’ve been with Robert (Tyner) for a good while now and it’s a brilliant place to work and learn. He is very fair and gives me great support and advice. If you work hard and keep the head down you will get the opportunities and I’m over the moon to have ridden a winner.

“Derek O’Connor comes in riding out quite a lot and he’s brilliant to encourage me while I’ve learned a lot from stable jockey Philip Enright since I started working there as well. I hope to make a real go of being a jockey as it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

Clements strikes on his first visit

JOCKEY Stephen Clements made his initial visit to Nenagh a winning one when guiding Martin Hassett’s Robin Of Locksley to victory in the opener.

“It’s my first time to ride over the track, but it’s a really nice course,” said the Scarvagh, Co Down native. “We had to do it the hard way, but my horse is still a big baby and he battled really well which is always good to see. I think he’s good enough to win a bumper.”

Clements, who rushed off to ride in the bumper at Leopardstown, continued: “I really love riding in point-to-points and today was my fourth winner of the season. There is always wonderful atmosphere and I like mixing it with riding on the track which gives me the best of both worlds.”

HORSE TO FOLLOW

ETIOPI MARINE (J.R.Barry): The plunge horse of the opening five-year-old maiden, this French-bred was reported to have shone in a few schooling races, hence the substantial market support. Unfortunately for his supporters, he didn’t get a chance to display his ability when brought down at the first fence. He can be expected to recoup those losses in due course.