THOSE racegoers who braved the mud and rain at Boulta were treated to a vintage renewal of the O’Brien’s Saddlery Middleton & Kenneally Steel open, as Arctic Skipper (4/1) bounced back to claim a three-length success for Vincent Halley.

Making his move at the bypassed second-last, a fence that was omitted as Brid O’Neill, who was later transferred to hospital, was being attended to following her first fence fall, the former Grade 2 winner held off the challenge of the 2015 Irish Grand National winner Thunder And Roses to prevail in the hands of John Barry.

Winning owner Lar Halley indicated that the Flemensfirth gelding could now switch to hunter chases.

Local rider John Barry partnered both off-spring from last season’s champion sire Flemensfirth who were successful on the afternoon, as he had earlier visited the winner’s enclosure following the impressive success of Minella Melody (4/6-1/1 favourite) in the Beeches Stud, & Winners Enclosure Conna four-year-old mares’ maiden.

A €65,000 purchase from the 2017 edition of the Derby Sale, the newcomer stamped her authority on the nine-strong field from the third last, ultimately easing to a 10-length victory over Old Dominon. “She is a very good mare, you don’t come across many like that. We thought we were going to get to run last Sunday and be on the ferry to the sales on Monday, but it wasn’t to be. The ferry might come to us now!” quipped winning owner/handler John Nallen.

Minella Melody and John Barry were impressive winners of the four-year-old mares' maiden. Photo Healy Racing

STYLE

Meath native Paul Bannon partnered his first four-year-old winner between the flags in good style, when he guided the Pearse Callaghan-owned Dream On John (5/1) to a two-length victory in division one of the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Sales four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

A second winner within the age division for Arakan, a French-based stallion who has sired six of his 10 winners between the flags in the current calendar year, the Punchestown fifth stuck to his task in eye-catching fashion to defeat Hardy Man.

The success was a first of the season for Gillian Callaghan, who has previously introduced the likes of subsequent Grade 1 winner Mount Benbulben to win between the flags, was not present as she was holidaying in New York.

Division two of that four-year-old geldings’ maiden saw two smart newcomers engage in a titanic battle from the final fence, with Terence O’Brien’s Chance Finale (6/1) just prevailing by a head for Darragh Allen over Tim Hyde’s newcomer On Eagles Wings.

“We actually haven’t even schooled him quickly over fences. If we had one good school coming here I would have been very confident, but I wasn’t sure how he would go over them at race pace,” reported the winning owner-handler. “We think he will develop into a smashing horse, so if I could get someone to buy him to stay in the yard that would be ideal.”

HANDLER’S TABLE

There appears to be no stopping the Declan Queally yard at present, and a Boulta double moved him to the top of the handler’s table for the first time this season, beginning with the victory of Springfield Fox (2-3/1) in the Kelkab Ltd & Dungans Daybreak five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Carrying the colours of Ludlow-based John Needham, the Sagamix-sired newcomer kicked clear under Queally from the second last to defeat Moon Rua by eight lengths.

The in-form handler indicated a winners’ race would be his next port of call if not sold beforehand.

Queally became the first handler of the season to reach the 10-winner mark when Gaye Breeze (4/5-5/4 favourite) made amends for his unlucky third last fence departure at the same venue seven days earlier, to impressively take the O’Brien’s Saddlery, Goffs & Glenview Stud winner of one.

One of just two five-year-olds in the line-up, the Rathcannon maiden winner defeated Colonel Sam by seven lengths to uphold Michael Sweeney’s excellent run this season.

Based at Queally’s Waterford yard, Sweeney is riding close to a 40% strike rate at present.

“Michael is going for the novice title and he asked me during the week if he could ride the horse. We are sharing the horses and I rode the other one so it is working well,” remarked Queally of his mother Bernie’s winner who has the point-to-point bumper as a longterm target.

Withdrawn from his intended engagement at Borris House a week earlier due to ground conditions, Clounts Pride (2-6/4 favourite) did not have to wait much longer to get into the winner’s enclosure, as the Robert Tyner’s charge made a winning debut in the opening division of the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Carrying the colours of Mary O’Sullivan and Daniel McCarthy, the Derek O’Connor-ridden son of Milan out-battled the more experienced Exciting Oscar by a head, and is now likely to be sold.

DAUGHTER

Kieran Roche sent out his second daughter of the Roselier mare Silver Prayer to win a point-to-point, as after saddling Silver Forever to win at Bartlemy in the spring, he claimed division one of the O’Brien’s Saddlery, David Allen Engineering & McDonnell Brothers mares’ maiden with her half-sister Sopat (2-9/4 favourite).

Second on her debut at Tralee, the daughter of Gold Well, who is owned by the handler’s wife Mary and Carnew-man Michael Kenny, made all in the hands of James Walsh, avoiding carnage at the first where five horse departed, to defeat Trumps Ace by a distance.

“She has always been good at home, she has just been a bit of a finicky eater and that’s why I haven’t run her since. She is a great mare and we will probably hang onto her,” reported the Adamstown-based handler.

Deputy’s Oscar (3-2/1 favourite) survived what could have been a costly mistake at the third last to win the opening division of that mares’ maiden in the hands of Eoin O’Brien.

The daughter of Oscar was delivered with her challenge at the last and went on to defeat the bumper-placed Hiupinthesky by two lengths for handler Matt Collins.

Racing in the colours of Collins’ wife Bridget, she is likely to be sold following her debut success.

Collins celebrates family success

DESPITE suffering a fractured vertebrae at the Clonmult-Dungourney fixture at the same course a week earlier, for which he faces six to eight weeks on the sidelines, rider Pat Collins was on-hand to welcome in his family’s Deputy’s Oscar to the winner’s enclosure.

Having been bought by Collins’ father from his brother-in-law Tom Hayes, the former TD for the Tipperary South constituency, the mare was appropriately named Deputy’s Oscar.

Remembering John O’Connor

KIERAN Roche’s last success at Boulta came on the corresponding fixture three years earlier when the late John O’Connor rode his Newtown Lad to victory.

Tragically the very promising 21-year-old was killed in a road traffic accident at the beginning of last year, and the Wexford handler remembered him in the winner’s enclosure.

“It was young John O’Connor that rode Newtown Lad so I would just like to remember him today. I have a picture of him up on my wall at home and he was a great chap.”

Passed away

A MINUTE’S silence was observed to remember Finbar Leahy, Eileen Doocey and Bill Ronayne, three people who were closely associated with the point-to-point who have passed away in the last year.

Burke sponsors turned out prize

JONATHAN Burke, who is currently enjoying a very successful spell in England riding for the likes of Charlie Longsdon and Tom George, sponsored the best turned out prize at the fixture, alongside former champion jockey Paul Townend, and Townend’s uncle Bob, who himself was also a successful jockey.

Horse to Follow

PLAN AT THE MINUTE (N. Kelleher): The Getaway mare was in the process of running a much-improved race when coming down at the second last. She can gain compensation in the new year.