THERE was some competitive fare at Saturday’s rescheduled Lisgoold meeting, which took place under the auspices of the United Foxhounds at Ballindenisk, and the Gary Murphy-trained Loaded And Locked paid a handsome compliment to his Lingstown November conqueror Sine Qua Non by winning the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The favourite Simple Old Game took the eight runners along here with Loaded And Locked (6/1 - 8/1), beaten all of 48 lengths into second spot in that aforementioned Lingstown contest on November 24th, making smooth progress into fourth spot for Ross Sugrue after the third-last of the 12 obstacles.

The winning son of Malinas picked up the running before two out and, with House Of Habsburg unseating just after this same penultimate obstacle, the eventual winner was pursued by newcomer Mymilkman on the approach to the final fence.

The eventual winner secured the faster jump here and he then kept Mymilkman at bay to score by a length with Cause For Comment, who made a notable fifth-fence blunder, more than acquitting himself on his points debut by returning a further seven lengths adrift of the victorious Turbine Syndicate-owned bay in third spot.

“He met a good horse in Lingstown and I was disappointed that he got beaten there. He will now go to a sale,” reported handler Murphy of Loaded And Locked, a €12,500 acquisition at the 2023 Tattersalls Ireland July sale that traces back to Grade 1 Dewhurst Stakes winner Alhaarth.

A family affair

Burren View (5/1) vindicated the promise of his third-placed return effort at Quakerstown in November by capturing the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden under his handler Tom Costello’s pharmacist niece, Laura Costello.

Burren View, representing Miss Costello’s mother Claire, was always positioned on the pace and he was one of four runners that held every chance on the run to the final fence. The winning son of Mahler edged ahead between horses on the flat and he duly accounted for fellow Co Clare challenger I Am Rocco by a length, with Tokens Glory securing the minor honours, a further half-length adrift.

The winning rider’s father Dermot Costello, who alluded to Ballindenisk as being a lucky venue for his family, intimated that Burren View could now be sold.

Deserving winner

Owner/trainer Joe O’Keeffe’s Some Joy (11/10) attained a deserved winning bracket, having come third on three occasions in points last season before then finishing fourth twice over fences, by landing the six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden in the hands of Johnny Barry.

With the leader Yorkshire Escape exiting at the fourth-fence here, this race developed into a duel between Some Joy and Sing My Story.

There was then very little to separate the pair until the victorious half-sister to Ballycasey was more than likely just about getting the argument when throwing the faster leap at the last and she duly asserted to score by two and a half lengths.

“We’ll run in a winners’ race next and the plan would be to go for the mares’ hunters chase at Cork over Easter,” disclosed Tallow-based three-horse handler O’Keeffe of Some Joy.

THE Donnchadh Doyle-trained veteran Er Dancer (6/4 - 2/1) recorded his ninth points success by gamely getting the better of Boss Robin in the novice riders open.

It was last season’s dual hunter chase scorer Boss Robin, a winner at this same venue on his return to action last month, that set off in front with the market leader tracked virtually throughout by Keep Me Posted.

The winning 11-year-old, however, moved closer for Alan Harney from three out and he swept through to challenge Boss Robin after the second-last.

Er Dancer, who was fitted with his by now customary cheekpieces, held a fractional advantage over Boss Robin when throwing the faster jump at the last and the Monbeg Syndicate-owned bay ultimately eclipsed his rallying rival by three-parts of a length, in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

In handler Doyle’s absence, Harney remarked of Er Dancer, also winner of a Fairyhouse hunters chase in November 2020: “He did it well and will stay pointing. He could also go for a hunter chase later in the season.”

Clear-cut winner

Jimmy Mangan’s Arthor (7/2) put his previous hurdling experience to good use by cruising home under Johnny Hurley in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden.

Arthor, a former 104-rated hurdler that was placed twice over flights, vindicated the promise of his third-placed points debut effort behind Drive On Jimmey here at Ballindenisk last month, by picking up the running before two out. The victorious eight-year was clearly in command approaching the last, as he returned with eight lengths to spare over Mags Nelson.

“He’s a very honest horse that has had a few issues, but he had the form to win here and will now go for a winners’ race, “said Mangan of the Castle Conna Syndicate-owned Arthor.

THE Jerry Baragry-trained Carry On Heidi (4/1 - 6/1) sprung a mild surprise by returning to the coveted number one slot under Rob James in the five-year-old mares’ maiden, much to the delight of the 10 bookmakers present.

Carry On Heidi, having made an excellent return to action by finishing fifth in a vintage Boulta contest last month, edged ever-closer from three out and she struck the front approaching the second-last. The winning daughter of Idaho, homebred of Baragry’s wife Patricia, was marginally holding favourite Grandala on the run to the last. With the pair both blundering here, Carry On Heidi then maintained the advantage to dismiss Grandala by one and a half lengths. Liberte Des Obeaux, meanwhile, came home well by returning a further one-length adrift in third.

“She’s a mare with plenty of toe and, if not sold, she’ll go for a maiden hurdle. Rob James rode the winner [Maribeth] of the Boulta race that she finished fifth in last month and he was confident that our mare would go very well here,” said handler Baragry of the Idaho-sired Carry On Heidi.

House Of Habsburg (E. M. Doyle): This son of Order Of St George, having finished third on his solitary start last season at Nenagh in February, held every chance when cruelly unseating just after the second-last on his return in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. The €36,000 yearling purchase should have little difficulty in opening his account over the coming weeks.