NINA Carberry was well known for her exploits in the saddle around Punchestown in the past but it was her skill as a handler that was on show at Punchestown last Saturday as she saddled her first winner in points.

Adventure Bay, who runs in Nina’s own colours, made almost all of the running in division one of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden under Tom Hamilton to beat the Jack Hendrick-ridden newcomer, Conna Cottage, by four lengths.

It was a pulsating finish as the two horses battled hard up the straight but it was the Hamilton-ridden son of Ocovango who came out on top and kickstarted a double on the day for the winning rider.

Afterwards, a delighted Carberry said, “I’m delighted. He is a horse that has just been learning all along and everything just came right today. I was delighted that the rain came for him because he just needed the bit of soft ground as he is more of a winter horse.

“I never thought I’d be getting a bit of soft ground in May! I’m delighted to be winning here in Punchestown, it has been very good to me! He’s for sale so hopefully he’ll be a nice horse for someone along the line.

“He goes on soft ground and he goes on good so he’s a very versatile horse. I’ve a few breezers and a few stores but he’s my only point-to-pointer!”

Double

Hamilton’s double was brought up in the farmers’ hunt race on the Shark Hanlon-trained Rewritetherules. The recent Bishopscourt Cup winner at the same track, was renewing rivalries with Alpha Male and Beyond Redemption from that aforementioned contest and he once again proved superior. Alpha Male finished second to the winner again for Peter Maher.

“He did it very well. He was entitled to do that really from his run here at the Festival. He got a heavy fall in Killarney the last day and to bounce back and win is great for his confidence. He’s a better class and he won snugly,” said the winning rider.

Newcomer

The second division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden was won by the Pat Doyle-trained and Pa King-ridden newcomer Dublin Calling.

Arguably the most promising winner on the day, Dublin Calling was always up with the pace and he had to battle hard near the line to fend off the Peter Flood-trained Paudie. The winner, sporting the silks of Mary Doyle, scored by two lengths in the end.

“He’s a very nice horse. He’s a half-brother to Regal Encore. He’s a real, nice staying horse and he is still a baby. He was just idling up the run in and when the horse got to him, he went on again.

“I said to Pa that I’d prefer if we weren’t in front until after jumping the last but he said he had too much horse under him. When the other horse got to him, he just picked up and went again,” reported the winning handler.

IT was a red-letter day for Alex Harvey as he rode his first ever winner on board his father William’s Minella On Line in the open contest. Harvey, a younger brother of former champion under-21 rider Ben, made all on the formerly useful track performer to beat Sir Carno by four lengths.

After the race the delighted winning rider, who rides out at weekends and on school holidays with John McConnell, said, “I’m delighted! He came back in good form coming off a break. He jumped and travelled well and he loved that good ground.

“He’s a big horse with a big engine and I wanted to make plenty of use of that so I kicked nice and early. In that ground, it was hard for them to come back to him.”

Winning debutants were the order of the day and the first of three on the card came in the opening four-year-old maiden, courtesy of the Colin Bowe-trained and James Kenny-ridden A Fortune Out West.

The son of Soldier Of Fortune was left in the lead at the second last when the Denis Murphy-trained Joyeux Machin came down and from that point, the victory never looked in doubt.

The Milestone Bloodstock Ltd-owned gelding ran out a four-length winner from the Harry Kelly-trained runner-up Pembroke.

“He did it nicely for his first run. We had a couple of nice Soldier Of Fortunes in Colin’s this year and we were hopeful of a big run today. He did what he showed us at home!” Kenny reported.

The final winning debutante on the card came in the mares’ maiden where Salsa Davis and Pearse Rogan beat the locally-trained Elusive Touch by three lengths. The Donnacadh Doyle-trained and Monbeg Syndicate-owned winner provided Rogan with an important success in his quest for the under-21 title.

“We always liked her and fancied her coming here. She did it well in the end. She’s a big mare and just took a bit of time. She really jumped well and was a great spin around. I’d say that she’ll head to the sales now,” said the winning rider.

THE concluding older geldings’ maiden saw Paul Power ride his 70th winner between the flags on board the Michael Keoghan-owned and trained Sea Of Sands.

The Curraghmore-third ran out a two-and-a-half-length winner from the Johnny Barry-ridden newcomer Thehairyfella.

“He battled well. He made harder work of it than I thought he would. He travelled to the front real easy and started pulling himself up a little bit but when the other horse came to him, he went on again.

“He ran well the last day on ground he would hate so the nicer ground helped today. I think he’ll be kept going through the summer now,” said the winning rider after the race.

Horse To Follow

Joyeux Machin (D.P. Murphy): The son of Saddler Maker was running a big race on debut before coming down at the second last in the opening four-year-old maiden. A maiden success now looks a formality.