THERE’S nothing quite like winning at home in front one of one’s home crowd and Leslie Beamish did precisely that at Sunday’s Clonakilty meeting which took place under the auspices of the Carbery Foxhounds on his picturesque Inchydoney Island farm as his homebred mare Imperial Fox deservedly returned to a rapturous reception on landing the winners’ of one under James Hannon.
On an afternoon that saw local Roscarbery native Brian Hayes as the guest of honour to mark his achievement of riding an initial Cheltenham Festival winner this year aboard Colm Murphy’s Impervious, the Padraig Butler-trained Imperial Fox (6/4 - 7/4 joint favourite) moved ever closer from the fourth last of the 15 obstacles and the victorious five-year-old by Imperial Monarch hit the front on the inner before two out.
Whilst runner-up Romeo Magico closed from the last, he was never quite going to get there and was ultimately beaten a half-length into second spot by last month’s Dromahane adjacent hunts’ maiden winner.
Timoleague native Butler, who with Brian Hayes started off working for former Clonakilty-based handler Thomas O’Leary, reported: ”Imperial Fox improved a lot from her first run and she’ll be left off now with a view to coming back for a bumper at Listowel in September.”
Beamish, a regular on the circuit most Sundays and who has a Yeats-sired colt foal out of Imperial Fox’s dam West Cork Fox (by Flemensfirth), commented: ”We knew that we had a good one and we said that we would run on the home ground.”
On an excellent weekend for young riders, 17-year-old James Cousins partnered an initial career winner aboard Rob James’ Chief Lady (4/1 - 6/1) in the four-year-old mares’ maiden.
The whole complexion of this race altered after four out as the pacesetting Minimongous slipped up with the pursuing Rory’s Story then being all but put out of the race and she was duly pulled up.
Kilmore native Cousins, a fifth year student at St Peter’s College in Wexford, and who was only having a third career ride, sent his Mahler-sired mount through to lead from two out and she duly returned with three lengths to spare over fellow Co Wexford-trained challenger Stopwouldya in the silks of the Matchmakers Syndicate.
The white-faced Chief Lady, who pulled up on her only previous start at Bartlemy two weeks earlier, is a granddaughter of Shanann Lady who was placed at listed level over fences for Cousins’ father Jim.
The 21-year-old Ross Berry, who dead-heated on Stranger Danger at Ballingarry the previous afternoon, combined with the absent Colin Bowe to collect the closing six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden aboard Seattle Seahawk (4/1 – 3/1).
The hooded Seattle Seahawk, representing breeder Maria Kavanagh and who shaped with promise by finishing sixth in a four-year-old pointers’ bumper at Tipperary in March 2021, vindicated the promise of two recent placed efforts at Monksgrange and Stradbally by making his way to the front three out to dismiss long-time leader Banditboi by an authoritative nine lengths.
Berry, son of former multiple point-to-point champion John, presently rides out with both Bowe and Henry de Bromhead.
Dunne wraps up campaign in style
HARLEY Dunne continued his outstanding end to the campaign as the Rathurtin-based owner-trainer was on the mark with the fiercely-impressive newcomer Marcus Furius (3/1 - 4/1) in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Marcus Furius made smooth progress for Tiernan Power Roche on the ascent from four out and he assumed command approaching the third last to come home by an increasing 14 lengths from Kilkee Bay.
“Luke Murphy pre-trained him and he had only one school on grass, but he had always been working well,” said Dunne of the Centaurian-sired Marcus Furius, bred by Stephen Cousins from Camolin who was on hand to join in the post-race celebrations.
Marcus Furius incidentally traces back to both Guts For Garters and Benefficient.
On an excellent afternoon for Co Wexford-trained horses, the Mick Goff-trained Georgie Burgess (4/1 - 6/1) returned to the coveted number one slot with Mikey Sweeney in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
The Aghabullogue runner-up made smooth progress before two out as long-time leader Validation still held the call from favourite Tottenham Green. The winning son of Vendangeur hit the front on the inner on landing over the last and he was too strong on the flat for Validation, a length the ultimate winning margin.
The never-threatening Down The Inner benefitted from the exit of Passion For Glory just after the final fence to return a further nine lengths adrift in third spot.
Goff reported of his wife Catriona’s Georgie Burgess: “It’s Adam Leahy that does most of the work with this horse at home. Adam told me that he was bombing during the week and that he was back to himself. I have a few young chaps working at home and Georgie Burgess would be ideal for them to ride in winners’ races in the autumn.”
Rebel Treaty signs off campaign with a victory
THE Con McSweeney-trained Rebel Treaty (11/10 – evens favourite) attained a deserved turn in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 13 starters.
Rebel Treaty, placed second on two out of her three previous starts including when chasing home subsequent Gain Mares’ Final winner Majestic Design on her return at Castlelands in March, got into a lovely rhythm for Darragh Allen and the victorious five-year-old disputed the running until going for home with three fences remaining.
The daughter of Ol’ Man River was clearly travelling best from two out as she asserted to account for Ray Hurley’s Lucky Mahler by a comprehensive four lengths in the colours of The Rebel Treaty Syndicate.
Waterfall-based McSweeney, who of course sent out Butcher Hollow to win the first four-year-old maiden of the season at Tallow, reported: “She had the form in the book and relished the good ground. If she’s not sold, she will go for a maiden hurdle at Listowel in a few weeks’ time.”
Horse to Follow
Minimongous (H. D. Dunne): This eyefilling grey by Walk In The Park was still bowling along merrily in front when slipping up after the fourth-last in the four-year-old mares’ maiden. It will be interesting to follow her progress in the autumn.