THE Stuart Crawford-owned and trained Glynn (12/1 – 6/1) entered many notebooks at Portrush on Saturday as the Winged Love gelding made a winning debut in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Hitting the front at the halfway point under Ben Crawford, the newcomer travelled best turning for home and held off the challenge of the well-supported favourite Brief Ambition by three lengths in what looked a competitive 13-runner event.
He is a half-brother to Crawford’s bumper winner Ciannte, and his winning handler commented: “I have been trying to run him the last few weeks and he really enjoyed the nice ground. He has always shown us plenty at home, he’s a very nice horse. He travelled nicely in the race and did it well. Today was the plan and he could head to the sales now.”
CONSISTENT
Longhouse Music (3/1 – 4/1) recorded her sixth points success of the season under Derek O’Connor in the open race. Returning from a mid-season break, the daughter of Gamut was produced to lead on the run to the last taking over from Milan Flyer.
The Sam Curling-trained mare held off the challenge of favourite Winged Leader by three-parts of a length in the closest finish of the afternoon. Curling indicated the 10-year-old, who was sporting the colours of owner/breeder John Duggan, could run in the mares’ open at Courtown next weekend.
A healthy entry of 40 in the four-year-old maiden saw this contest divide as 19 horses were declared.
This worked out well for the Donnchadh Doyle and Rob James teams as they took both divisions, initiated by Vandemere (5/2 – 2/1 favourite) owned by the Monbeg Syndicate.
Third on his only outing at Borris House earlier in the month, a change of tactics suited the Jeremy gelding as he made most of the running under Rob James and recorded an impressive seven-length success from Colin Bowe’s Ahead Of Schedule.
A €50,000 purchase at the Goffs Land Rover Sale last year, the winning four-year-old is a half-brother to the JP McManus-owned maiden hurdle winner At Your Ease and is from the same pedigree as Grade 1 winners Bannow Bay, Far From Trouble and Mighty Moss.
Wexford-based handler Doyle said: “He had a lovely first run and we probably didn’t make enough use of him so we decided to make it today. He’s fairly smart and should go on and win plenty of races on the track. He will head to the sales now.”
Newcomer Grandads Cottage (3/1 favourite) carried the Monbeg Syndicate colours to success in the second division of the four-year-old maiden to record a brace for Doyle.
Acquired at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale for €58,000, the Shantou gelding is a brother to Doyle’s former Loughanmore point-to-point winner Howaboutnow and Super Duty, a winner five-times for Donald McCain.
Haveitregistered raced keenly under Barry O’Neill throughout to ensure a strong gallop but James was never far away and took over before the penultimate fence.
The four-year-old fenced fluently throughout and recorded a six-length success from Peter Flood’s Kilbrook, clocking the day’s fastest time.
“He’s a lovely horse and I thought he had a real chance coming here today. He jumped well and picked up again when he needed to. He has a good pedigree and will head to the sales now,” reported Doyle.
TREBLE
Rob James teamed up with Cormac Doyle to record his treble at the north coast venue as he steered the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership-owned Darling Daughter (6/1 – 8/1) to success in the mares’ maiden.
Purchased for €30,000 at the 2017 edition of the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, Darling Daughter is out of the blacktype mare Premier Victory.
The daughter of Presenting went clear turning for home in the 17-runner contest, and although the favourite Shopping Around was closing at the finish, James’ mount recorded a two-length success.
Donnchadh Doyle commented on behalf of the absent handler, saying: “Cormac thought a lot of this mare and she did it well today. She is very well bred and could head for a winners’ race next.”
Karen Ferris was seen to good effect in the concluding novice riders’ older maiden as Molpeg (4/1) got his head in front at his sixth attempt.
Third on his previous two outings, the Winged Love gelding tracked Patriot’s Prayer and No More Santies turning for home and was produced to lead on the run to the last.
The Shane Gault-trained gelding scored easily by five and a half lengths from Patriot’s Prayer at the finish.
“He had a great run in Tattersalls before Christmas and he didn’t like the ground at Armagh. Karen gave him a great ride. He made a few mistakes but Karen took her time and he won well. He could go for a winner’s race next,” said the handler who owns the horse in partnership with Nathan Gault.
BATTLING SUCCESS
Royal Drumlee (5/2 – 3/1 favourite) supplemented his Armagh maiden victory when battling to success in the winner-of-two race under Noel McParlan.
Borris House maiden winner Madera Mist made most of the running under Rob James and was challenged by the favourite approaching the last.
A better jump gave the initiative to the Sean McParlan-owned and trained gelding who held on for a one-length success at the line.
There was no alteration to the result following a stewards’ enquiry on interference on the run-in.
The winning handler commented: “He’s a great horse and he is such a good jumper. He battled well up the hill today. He will run again in a winner of two if not sold.”
HORSE TO FOLLOW:
KIRIGLOTE (D. Murphy): The son of Poliglote made notable headway in the closing stages of the five-year-old maiden and really finished out his race well. He will improve for the experience and should go close next time.
NEWS
Competitive action
THE Portrush point-to-point course has produced former Grade 1 winner Finians Oscar in recent years and racegoers witnessed some competitive racing at the seaside venue last Saturday.
The Route hunt have worked hard to ensure safe conditions and improved the facilities recently, and were rewarded with a large entry and 77 runners lining up compared to only 41 runners at the rescheduled meeting in May last year.
There was a great atmosphere throughout the day with a bar on-site and a wide variety of catering available including a burrito bar, a chip van, coffee stand, and ice cream van.
There was also a great display of perpetual cups in the weigh tent, some dating back to 1934.
First success
MOLPEG provided Shane Gault with his first success as a handler in four years in the concluding older maiden for novice riders.
Based in Ballyclare and with only the one horse in training, Shane’s last pointing success was with Mister To Mister, who won three times in the 2014/15 season.
He also carried Shane’s colours to success in a handicap chase at Downpatrick the following year when trained by Ben Arthey.