THE Declan Queally success story continued at Sunday’s Ballynoe meeting, staged under the auspices of the United Hunt, as he sent out Majestic Design to oblige in the Gain Mares’ Final which this year came complete with a generous €3,000 bonus to the winning owner.

Majestic Design (evens – 4/5 favourite) really impressed by sluicing home on her return to action at Castlelands three weeks earlier and she tracked the frontrunning Dul Ar Aghaidh virtually throughout.

The winning six-year-old picked up the running well after the third last of the 14 obstacles, but Dul Ar Aghaidh was in no mood to surrender and she actually rallied briefly after the final fence.

Majestic Design was always travelling that bit stronger in the closing stages and she fought off the gallant Dul Ar Aghaidh to score by two lengths in the hands of Chris O’Donovan, who was posting an initial success in the race.

Merry Melody meanwhile returned a further 20 lengths adrift in third spot and the trio were the only finishers from the eight runners that set out with the remaining five participants, all maidens incidentally, pulling up at various stages on the final circuit.

The in-form Queally was winning the ‘Gain’ for the third time as a handler as he was also on the mark with Thegirlfrommilan in 2016 and My Old Gold in 2017.

He subsequently reported of Majestic Design, who represents her joint-breeder Fiona O’Connor from Cappoquin: “She jumped brilliantly and could now run in the winners’ final at Dromahane, a race for horses that were maidens at the start of the season, late next month [April] before then going for the mares’ bumper at Tipperary in May.”

Donnchadh Doyle is likewise experiencing a most productive campaign and he introduced another promising recruit in Illico De Cotte (3/1 - 4/1) who destroyed the opposition under five-pound claimer Alan Harney in the truly-run five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Kitkou-sired Illico De Cotte always took the eye as Truckers Cruising and Lisleigh Lad vied for supremacy up front.

The victorious French-bred was clearly in command from two out and he bounded clear approaching the last to dismiss Kildorrery debut third What A Johnny by 12 lengths in the style of a horse that we will be hearing a lot more about.

In the absence of handler Doyle, his brother Sean explained that the Monbeg Syndicate-owned Illico De Cotte will now be offered at some of the forthcoming sales. Illico De Cotte is out of an own-sister to listed placed French chaser Brin De Cotte whilst the Grade 1 hurdler Kadastrof features further back in his pedigree.

Andy Burke Ott was another claiming rider to get on the scoresheet and, having partnered his initial winner on this same day [March 26th] at Lisronagh a year ago, the 19-year-old brought his career tally to seven by landing the older geldings’ maiden aboard his father Alex Ott’s Blackprint (4/1 - 6/1).

Fitted with cheekpieces, Blackprint stepped forwards from his two recent creditable third-placed efforts at Bandon and Ballycahane by setting sail for home before three out.

Whilst favourite Clarabello was sent in pursuit after this third-last fence, he never really threatened Blackprint with three lengths separating the pair.

With the elder Ott and winning owner Eamonn Granger both absent, Burke Ott indicated that his younger brother Luke is now likely to partner Blackprint in a winners’ race.

Flying Mikey completes

a double in Ballynoe

MIKEY O’CONNOR is in virtually unstoppable form and, following his three-timer at Liscarroll the previous Sunday, the north Corkonian partnered two winners.

He instigated his brace aboard the Brian Linehan-owned and trained newcomer The Passing Wife (4/1 - 6/1) in an eventful four-year-old maiden.

Diamonds For Luck, who still held every chance when exiting two out on his career debut in Liscarroll, jumped into the lead three out and Mikey Kennedy’s charge held in the region of just over a half-length advantage when cruelly falling at the last.

The Passing Wife, having done well to survive a penultimate fence error himself, was then left clear to beat Long Draw by four lengths.

The Passing Wife, a white-faced son of Dashel Drasher’s sire Passing Glance, was bred by Linehan’s Chipping Norton-based brother Maurice who was fittingly on hand to join in the post-race celebrations.

Maurice Linehan, who partnered 70 winners over jumps when based with Jonjo O’Neill, indicated that The Passing Wife will now be sold.

O’Connor then combined with six-horse owner/trainer Paul Tobin to collect the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden aboard last month’s Knockanard runner-up The Dollarlady (5/2 favourite), much to the dismay of the 12 bookmakers present.

Padraig Butler’s Imperial Fox appeared to make the decisive move by edging ahead after three out and The Dollarlady was sent in pursuit with two fences remaining.

Whilst erring at the last, the winning daughter of Libertarian got on top on the flat to deny Imperial Fox by a length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon. The physically-imposing The Dollarlady, in whom Shane Condon and Aidan Daly from Tallow also hold an interest, will now contest a winners’ race.

Dashing rolls back the years with an emotional victory

JUST three horses went to post for the open and, with bookmakers eventually pricing up the contest, it was Dashing Perk that was sent off 1/3 favourite to supplement his Bandon success last month. The Eugene O’Sullivan-trained Dashing Perk was sent straight to the front by Turlough O’Connor, getting into a lovely rhythm.

However, the odds-on shot has to be rousted along after two out and a major surprise appeared to be on the cards when the maiden Emotional Roller edged past before the last.

The 12-year-old Dashing Perk though re-assumed command on the flat and forged clear over 50 yards out to eclipse Emotional Roller by two and a half lengths in the colours of his rider’s maternal aunt Irene Walsh.

Horse to Follow

Diamonds For Luck (Michael G Kennedy): This son of Diamond Boy, having fallen two out on his debut at Liscarroll, was once again out of luck as he held the advantage when departing at the last in the four-year-old maiden. The close relation to Milan Native appeals as a definite track winner.