THE winds from Storm Darragh abated on Saturday morning, which ensured that the Clonmult/Dungourney fixture at Boulta received the go-ahead and Clay Pigeons got handler Jonathan Fogarty’s weekend, one that saw the south Wexford handler sending out three winners altogether, off to the best possible start.

He took the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden in the hands of Barry Stone.

The Elusive Pimpernel-sired Clay Pigeons (2/1 - 5/2), who pulled up and fell on his two starts last season, was always positioned close to the pace as Generous Risk took the 10 runners along in this truly-run contest.

Clay Pigeons and Kaka’s Cousin edged past the front-runner on the approach to the final of the 14 fences.

There was then very little to separate the pair with the son of Elusive Pimpernel shading the verdict by a short-head from the rallying Kaka’s Cousin in the increasingly familiar Gaynestown Stud Partnership silks. Generous Risk meanwhile secured the minor honours, a further 15 lengths adrift.

Bit of time

“He has always worked well, he has just needed that bit of time to fill into his frame,” said handler Fogarty’s brother Mikey of Clay Pigeons, a half-brother to listed placed hurdler Theclockisticking and out of an unraced own-sister to Jonjo O’Neill’s former Cheltenam Gold Cup winner, Synchronised.

Clay Pigeons, who was bought for €13,500 as a foal by the Fogarty siblings’ cousin Liam Og McGovern, was quickly added to this Friday’s Tattersalls sale after racing at Cheltenam and similarly bound for the Prestbury Park boutique auction is Maribeth, following her battling success in the four-year-old mares’ maiden.

The Pat Doyle-trained Maribeth (2/1 - 9/4 favourite), having finished second to the impressive Onefournine on her debut at Curraghmore in October before unseating after four out in the Turtulla contest won by Porte Jaune last month, was held up in mid-division by Rob James as Carry On Heidi forced the pace.

The winner, a daughter of Diamond Boy, whose unraced dam is a half-sister to Newbury Totesport Trophy winner, Get Me Out Of Here, made smooth progress from three out and she edged ahead after the penultimate obstacle.

Kenisa Sport made her way into pole position after the last, but Maribeth was in no mood to be denied and she surged back to the fore inside the final 75 yards to beat Colin Bowe’s charge by a half-length. Nashville Notions hinted that her turn is imminent by returning a further six and a half lengths adrift in third.

Above average

“She has been unlucky and I’d say that she is above-average,” reported handler Doyle of Maribeth, a €58,000 acquisition by Timmy O’Byrne on his uncle Roddy Byrne’s behalf at last year’s Derby sale. “Rob [James] said that she had plenty left going to the line.”

Ian McCarthy’s newcomer Kilbakanto (2/1 - 5/2) likewise booked his passage to last night’s Cheltenham sale by making a winning debut under Eoin Mahon in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 14 runners.

The Malinas-sired Kilbakanto, named as a nod to handler McCarthy’s home village of Kilbecanty in Co Galway, came from well off the pace to dispute the running with Rule Me In at the last.

The winner, whose dam Maca Rince won a Grade 3 juvenile hurdle, threw the faster leap here and he duly asserted on the flat to contain Rule Me In by four and a half lengths in the colours of his handler’s wife Nicki McCarthy.

THE visiting Geegeez Syndicate from Britain made their presence felt by roaring home their charge Gee Force Flyer (3/1 - 4/1), whom Mikey Kennedy trains for them, in the second division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Gee Force Flyer always took the eye in the running and the €42,000 Goffs Arkle sale graduate made smooth progress into fourth spot for Johnny Barry after three out. The winning son of Jet Away joined issue with runner-up Country Code at the last and he then took the measure of John Staunton’s charge on the flat to oblige by two lengths.

Gee Force Flyer, a close relation to former Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Chase winner Lord Noelie, will now join the Olly Murphy stable. Winter Orchid (6/4 - 9/4 favourite) justified the lengthy trek from John Neilan’s Kilcolgan base by landing the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden and, by doing so, she was atoning for running out at the final fence when leading and travelling best on her previous outing at Quakerstown in mid-November.

The seven-year-old Winter Orchid, representing Neilan’s octogenarian father Liam, who was in attendance, picked up the running for Adam Ryan from two out to dismiss Carroll’s Pride by one and a half lengths.

THERE was a dramatic conclusion to the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden as odds-on shot Jay Pee M, having made most of the running, was still some five lengths clear and clearly travelling best when falling at the last.

The departure of the former handicap hurdler paved the way for the previous Sunday’s Ballindenisk runner-up Trooper Carton (6/4 - 7/4) to attain his due reward under his owner/trainer Garrett Ahern’s 20-year-old son Josh, as he came home by seven and a half lengths from Helen O’Connor’s Tokens Glory. The admirably-consistent Trooper Carton, a half-brother to Billaway, will probably now contest a winners’ race.

Sean Doyle’s recent Tinahely maiden victor Gale Force Jet (3/1 - 7/2) recorded a clear-cut success under Jamie Scallan in the winners’ of two.

The five-year-old Gale Force Jet, owned by Henry Chamney, set sail for home from three out and he duly returned with three and a half lengths to spare over seasonal debutant Castle Croiuil.

Handler Doyle’s younger brother Gearoid remarked of Gale Force Jet: “He’s a horse that’s after improving loads and, if he’s not sold, the Bishopscourt Cup at the Punchestown festival probably will be the plan.”

Nashville Notions (Paul Stephen Kiely): A whole host of future winners are likely to emerge from the four-year-old mares’ maiden, including this daughter of Milan.

Having finished fourth on her solitary start last season at Ballindenisk in early May, the close relation to Grade 1 placed novice hurdler Gunnery Sergeant was only beaten seven lengths into third spot in this 13-runner contest and a mares’ maiden would appear to be hers for the taking in the new year.