GALE At Sea (1/1 – 9/4) took the opening contest of the 2019/20 point-to-point season when recording a comprehensive six length success in the four-year-old mares’ maiden, providing the Denis Murphy/Jamie Codd combination with the opening leg of a double on the afternoon.

A half-sister to the prolific Ballybolley, the debutant raced up with the pace, before staying on gamely to see off the attentions of Whiskey Lullaby.

“That’s a great start to the season, this is a very smart mare and she is well bred as well. I think there should be lots of improvement in her and she will go to one of the sales now,” commented the Wexford owner/handler.

The five-year-old geldings’ maiden saw Jamie Codd combine with Denis Murphy for their second winner of the afternoon when Yes Des Tallons (3/1) atoned for his penultimate fence fall at Tralee last season when recording a commanding success. Always to the fore of proceedings, the Alan Harte-owned grey overhauled long-time leader Tardree in the closing stages to score by an easy five lengths.

Afterwards, a delighted Murphy stated: “He was good there. We just ran out of time with him last season and should never of ran him. He has lots of class and did it very well. I would imagine he will go to the sales now.”

Invictus a fine prospect

Cormac Doyle looks to have a smart prospect on his hands in the form of Annual Invictus (3/1-8/1) who displayed a very game attitude to take the four-year-old geldings’ maiden under Jack Hendrick.

Having just his second start, the son of Mahler jumped well at the head of affairs and although headed by the eventual runner-up Minella Beauty two-out, the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership-owned gelding rallied gamely to win by two and a half lengths at the line. “He was tough there, I think he is a fair horse. He scoped wrong after he ran last year, so we left him off then and he came back in twice the horse this year. He will head on to one of the sales now,” commented Doyle.

Annual Invictus and Jack Hendrick with Cormac Doyle and Niamh Berry after winning the four-year-old geldings maiden race \ Healy Racing

David Christie got his season of to a winning start with new recruit Some Man (1/1 – 6/4 favourite) who made a winning return between the flags, having won a four-year-old maiden back in 2017. After three runs for Paul Nicholls under rules, the son of Beat Hollow was purchased by owner Ray Nicholas at the Goffs Doncaster sale in May and bounced back to form here recording a two-and-a-half-length success in the hands of Rob James, with Samurai Cracker filling the runner-up berth.

“The track and the ground today is the exact opposite of what he would like. He has done well to win the way he did in the end. I think he is as good a staying horse as I have had on my hands for a long time. There is no reason why he couldn’t go a long way, he has loads of class,” stated Christie.