WITH this season’s The Irish Field riders’ championship very much up for grabs, the Rob James and Barry O’Neill travelling roadshow moved to Dawstown on Monday for the Muskerry Foxhounds annual bank holiday fixture.

Both riders featured amongst the winners at the popular Birch Hill venue, but it was James that experienced the better of the exchanges by recording a hat-trick with O’Neill posting a two-timer. James is now leading the championship on 37 winners as opposed to his adversary’s 35.

James, who is chasing a first title, will have been buoyed by his success aboard newcomer Moon Over America (3/1 - 9/2) in the second division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden as he also trains the winning son of Sea Moon.

Moon Over America was bounced out smartly in front and the €30,000 Goffs Arkle sale graduate had Diamond Flush for company from after half-way. The eventual winner however edged into a couple of lengths advantage on rounding the turn before three out.

Whilst well-touted favourite Parkathetheatre came through to almost join issue after this third-last fence, he could never quite get past the Matchmaker Syndicate-owned bay.

A resolute sort, Moon Over America then asserted on the flat to beat the promising Parkathetheatre by a length. Rivers Of Whiskey meanwhile completed a clean sweep of the placings for newcomers by returning a further five and a half lengths adrift in third.

“He’s a lovely horse that we’ve always liked at home, but I just thought that he was a bit babyish coming here,” reported James of Moon Over America, a half-brother to three-time UK track winning mare Police Academy and who traces back to 1981 2000 Guineas winner To-Agori-Mou.

The Killane native, who sustained a one-day whip ban for his ride aboard Moon Over America, then combined with handler Luke Murphy to collect the second division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden aboard Fort St Angelo (6/1 – 8/1).

A creditable fifth on his only previous start at Ballinaboola back in February, Fort St Angelo edged into the lead approaching the penultimate of the 14 obstacles.

While runner-up Reliance Kid closed as the line approached, Fort St Angelo was in no mood to be denied and the half-brother to seven-time track winner Blaze A Tail duly accounted for Thomas Corish’s charge by a neck in the colours of the L and J Partnership that comprises handler Murphy and his amateur rider colleague James Kenny.

Murphy, who was sending out a fourth winner of the campaign, indicated that the Laverock-sired Fort St Angelo is now likely to be sold.

James brought up his three-timer by dead-heating aboard the Colin Bowe-trained newcomer Simple Times (4/1 - 5/1) with owner/trainer Liam Casey’s Dawn Escape (5/1) in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 13 runners.

Dawn Escape, having finished third on her career debut in a Punchestown maiden hurdle last June, was always positioned on the pace and she held a narrow advantage over Geordie Girl two out. There was then very little to separate the pair until Geordie Girl exited at the last.

The Johnny Barry-ridden Dawn Escape was then left with a slender advantage, but Simple Times closed on the flat and the Milestone Bloodstock Ltd-owned bay joined issue literally on the line with the judge awarding a dead-heat between the pair.

BOTH of Barry O’Neill’s winners were supplied by Colin Bowe, who actually sent out three winners in total, and the duo opened their account courtesy of debutant Walks In June (4/1 - 11/2) in the first division of the four-year-old maiden. The Walk In The Park-sired Walks In June, a €48,000 acquisition as a foal, out of a half-sister to Empire Of Dirt from the family as Monalee, was upsides Minella Moon Shine when the favourite fell four out. Walks In June, having thrown a fabulous leap at the last, powered clear to account for A Perfect Day by four lengths.

“He’s a lovely horse that’s still a bit weak and he will improve for a summer’s grass,” said Bowe of the Milestone Bloodstock Ltd-owned winner. The Bowe/O’Neill combination were on the mark with Harrenhal (5/2 - 3/1 favourite) in the first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Harrenhal made his way to the front after three out and the €35,000 Goffs Land Rover sale graduate was always on top as he returned with one and three quarter lengths to spare over Sheer Joy.

BOOKMAKERS received a proper hammering in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts’ maiden as Foxy Mick justified market support from 6/1 into 2/1 under his owner/trainer Alex Ott’s 18-year-old son Luke Burke-Ott. The previously twice-raced Foxy Mick touched down in front over the second last and he then kept the rallying Doitforjane Sid at bay to score by a neck. He was a rare runner for his sire Elusive Emir.

The Willie Murphy-trained Grageen (4/1 - 6/1) landed the winners’ of two. The eight-year-old, a Dromahane maiden scorer late last season, was engaged in a tussle from two out with Wallace Olinger. The latter crashed out at the last and Grageen was left clear with Pa King to beat The Brickey Ranger by 11 lengths for breeder Leo Doyle. Shane Cotter brought his seasonal tally to an impressive 12, landing the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden aboard owner/trainer Denis Murphy’s Manowest (4/1 - 5/1) who led from three out, overcame greenness to beat Dun Ar Aill by an eased down half-length.

Horse to Follow

A Perfect Day (C. Doyle): A son of Westerner hailing from the same family as Thyestes Chase winner Champagne West, this fellow posted a fine debut effort to come second in the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden. He was beaten four lengths into second spot and should easily develop into a track winner going forwards.