THE Edward O’Grady-handled Priory Park (8/11 - 1/2 favourite) was the star turn as the County Limerick Hunt celebrated 90 years of Bruff point-to-point races, when staging their autumn fixture on the lands of the McMahon and O’Regan families at Rathcannon.

Reunited with Eoin Staples following their success in a similar novice riders open lightweight in Umma House a fortnight previously, the dual track-winning son of Dylan Thomas watched on from midfield, as Midnight Maestro and latterly Jay Bee Why set a decent tempo up-front.

Edging into the slipstream of the latter rival before the final fence, the eight-year-old Priory Park produced a striking turn of foot on touching down after that obstacle to score by a widening three lengths.

“This horse had lost his confidence on the track, so the smaller fences and slower pace in these open races suit him better,” reflected O’Grady of the JP McManus-owned Priory Park.

“Eoin got on very well with him again today, so we will continue in these novice rider open lightweights before possibly tackling a hunter chase.”

As expected

The comparably priced and Enda Bolger-handled Well Buoy (4/6 - 4/7 favourite) also obliged in the manner expected in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Last month’s Loughrea runner-up was sent straight into the lead by Harry Swan and, despite the persistent effort of Willie Murphy’s Revolut Ned over the final two fences, found plenty in the latter stages to carry the day by two lengths.“He was bound to come on for his first run for us in Loughrea. He enjoys that type of ground, so he may have one more run before coming back in the spring with something like the Ladies’ Cup in mind,” remarked Bolger of Well Buoy, who was welcomed into the winners enclosure by his UK-based owner Keith Loads.

ON a trying afternoon for the seven bookmakers present, favourite backers had got their afternoon off to a fine start, as Cormac Doyle’s first-timer Road Exile (3/1 - 5/4 favourite) claimed a narrow victory in the four-year-old maiden.

A towering son of Harzand, who fenced with aplomb, the Jack Hendrick-ridden Road Exile gained an advantage he would never relinquish with a circuit to race and showed a likeable attitude from the back of the last to hold off Lon Chaney by a head.

“This is a lovely. big horse who travelled and jumped everywhere there. Jack felt he was green at times and will come on for that. He’s the first I’ve had by Harzand, but I like them,” said Doyle of his €30,000 Derby Sale graduate.

Winning return

A dual points winner in early 2023, the Laura Costello-partnered Keep Me Posted (3/1) made a victorious return to points duty, when claiming the closing winners of three contest in determined fashion.

Owned by the successful rider’s mother Claire and handled by her uncle Tom, the Shirocco gelding led from the third fence and, having produced an assured display of jumping thereafter, mastered the challenge of Grageen after the last to score by two lengths.

“We’re delighted with that, as he just never really fired on the track for whatever reason. Laura was very good on him, letting him stride along in front. He’s a real genuine type of horse and we will look at open company for him now,” outlined winning handler, Tom Costello.

LAURA Costello’s fellow Co Clare rider Jack O’Grady had earlier been similarly seen to good effect in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden when partnering Don’t Tell Shirley (6/4 - 3/1) to a length and half triumph.

Initiating an across-the-card treble for her handler Sam Curling, the daughter of Mahler stepped forward from her two recent fourth-placed efforts at Castletown and Umma House when, having led from flag fall, responding well to O’Grady’s urgings on the run-in to account for Sights Unseen.

“This is a nice mare. The key was that she got into a lovely rhythm, in terms of her jumping, from the outset. I’d say Sam will look for a mares’ winners’ race for her now,” stated O’Grady afterwards of Don’t Tell Shirley, who represents Galwegian Mark Byrne.

There was a pulsating finish to the six-year-old and upwards geldings maiden, with the verdict, after some deliberation, going the way of the Johnny Barry-ridden Aill Dubh (2/1 - 3/1).

The four-runner affair saw the front-running Aill Dubh display excellent battling qualities late-on to repel the late lunge of The Last Minute by a short-head.

Conna, Co Cork-amateur Barry will have gained immense satisfaction from the victory of last May’s Necarne runner-up, for the seven-year-old is handled by his mother-in-law Jeanette Riordan and carries the colours of his wife Jessica.

It is now likely that Aill Dubh, who Barry purchased this summer on the recommendation of the gelding’s former handler Michael Flannery, will be aimed at a winners’ race.

Horse to Follow

Lon Chaney (D.G. Hogan): This Walk In The Park-sired half-brother to Pádraig Butler’s 140-rated hurdler De Capo Glory, who hails from the immediate family of both God’s Own and Ginny’s Destiny, lost little in defeat when going down narrowly to Road Exile in the younger maiden. Previously unlucky on his debut in Castlelands, the bay should easily go one better before embarking on a successful track career.