IN 1995, the South Westmeath hunt played host to a first point-to-point success in the saddle for a young Gordon Elliott, so it seemed somewhat appropriate that the now leading trainer was in attendance as the hunt unveiled their new venue at Umma House only 15km from The Pigeons.

Elliott saddled three winners at the meeting, five across all meetings for the day, and the final winner somewhat fittingly, saw him provide Cian Chester with his first ever winner, while Aubrey McMahon was scoring for the first time between the flags when taking the open.

The first Elliott win of the day went to Percy Warner who runs in the colours of the Crocodile Pockets Syndicate and cost €32,000 as a three-year-old when knocked down to Mags O’Toole.

He is a brother to Red Rising who won a point for John Neilan who himself produced a nice type later on this card.

Under Jamie Codd, this son of Ocovango made a notable error at the half-way point but recovered well to lead after two out and score by four lengths.

Elliott said: “He did well to recover from the error and win so well. He doesn’t show a lot on his homework but when we took him away recently he did things very well and he has done the same again here so he looks a nice type.

“The syndicate are keen to sell so he will go to the sales but I would like to keep him in the yard if I could.”

Notably this was a third individual winner for his sire Ocovango who has only had six individual runners in points thus far.

Challenge

The open was restricted to novice riders with Samanntom making most of the running under Susie Doyle before Its All Guesswork was delivered with a challenge at the third last with a decisive move which saw the Cullentra House Stable Staff Syndicate-owned eight-year-old winning by four lengths.

“I am keeping more horses than usual this season for the young lads to get experience on and Aubrey comes in to ride out with us when he can too.

“This fellow will stay pointing and was a decent horse on his day who went wrong in the 2019 Kim Muir but looks back to himself now,” said the winning handler.

Evalabrune D’Or completed the treble at the venue for the handler when another of the yard’s younger riders, Cian Chester, recorded his debut victory in the adjacent hunt winners’ race.

The son of Puit D’Or, who stands in France, raced keenly to the front and soon opened up a huge lead of well over a fence.

His four rivals never made any notable headway on the lead until very late in the race and at this point the winner had built up a sizeable cushion and was not to be caught, crossing the line a distance clear of the Peter Flood pair Save Us Avis and Star Wizard.

JAMIE Codd ultimately secured a treble on the card which began in the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden when Get A Tonic who ran out an impressive winner for handler Denis Murphy.

This was in fact Codd’s first winner of the season having ridden four seconds from five rides prior to this victory, and the daughter of Getaway, who is out of a mare who won twice over hurdles for Alan King, will now be sold. Murphy gave €33,000 for her as a three-year-old.

The former champion rider completed his treble aboard the John Neilan-trained Heather Rocco in the five- and six-year-old geldings’ maiden which attracted the largest field of the afternoon with 14 going to post.

A strong gallop from the outset saw those horses that were held up coming to the fore before the sharp climb to the second last, where Heather Rocco and the Donnchadh Doyle-trained Wall Of Fame went clear.

The winner still looked a little green in the closing stages and ultimately drew nicely clear to score by a length. Bred by Niall Flynn, the five-year-old is owned by the handler’s father Liam and cost €20,000 as a foal before failing to sell as a three-year-old.

PAUL Tobin and Derek O’Connor combined to take the mares’ maiden with Rosy Story who had been third on her previous two outings but had not raced since last December before this success.

Mad About Sally had taken the lead at the second last under Jordan Gainford, before O’Connor moved to lead before the last.

The pair became quite tight for a few strides, but this brave daughter of Ask went on before the last and won by just over two lengths in the colours of Elizabeth Fuller.

It was a second weekend success for her sire. Her dam, Jeruflo, won three races for Paul Webber.

LEADING rider Rob James saddled his first ever winner as a handler when My Bad Lucy won the second division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden under Brian Lawless who schools for the new handler a few times a week.

Given James’ commitment to the Donnchadh Doyle yard, he was required to ride Gredin who was pulling up at the final fence, just as James was looking ahead to see his first winner go by the line eight lengths clear of his rivals.

After the race James explained: “I have started training from my home place at Tomone in Kilanne and have eight or so in training already. My mother is involved in the ownership of this one as part of the Matchmaker Syndicate and he is a grand horse who will now be sold.”

Horse to follow

Saint Benedict (Enda Bolger): This six-year-old stayed on strongly in the closing stages to finish a close third on his debut in open company. He still qualifies for two-winner company and will progress to open grade in due course as required.