FORMER southern regional champion Mikey O’Connor dominated Sunday’s well-attended Pigeon Hill & Carrigtwohill fixture at Ballyvodock as he was the only rider to partner a double at the United Hunt-sanctioned meeting and he instigated his brace aboard Marie Harding’s exciting five-year-old Hunt Away in the winners-of-two.

Hunt Away (4/5 favourite), who was recording his third consecutive success of the campaign following victories at Dromahane in November and Aghabullogue last month, always travelled well on the inner and he moved through to hit the front at the penultimate of the 13 obstacles.

The half-brother to Tom George’s former Grade 1-placed chaser Clondaw Castle then gamely fought off recent Carrigarostig maiden scorer Thethirstyfarrier by a length with a further two and a half lengths back to long-time leader Bigbraveboy in third.

“He’s a lovely horse and I would like to aim him for the point-to-point bumper at Cork over Easter,” reported Harding of Hunt Away, owned by the three-member Open The Boot Partnership that comprises Tony Wilson, Brendan Healy and Maurice O’Connor.

Scrooge gets the bonus

O’Connor, who celebrated his 44th birthday on Saturday, completed his double aboard Valentia Island-based owner/trainer Joe Daly’s Ebenezer Scrooge (5/1 - 7/1) in the older maiden which was a race that came complete with a generous €1,500 bonus to the winner.

Ebenezer Scrooge, a former Gordon Elliot inmate who posted his previous best effort by taking third in a two miles, six furlongs Navan maiden hurdle in March 2023, made a pleasing points debut by finishing fourth at Aghabullogue and the eight-year-old always travelled well in this 15-runner contest.

He had already moved closer when favourite Howdoyalikeherhome ran out through the wing of the second-last when challenging for the lead at the time.

Made U Look then made the best of his way home, but he erred at the last losing valuable momentum in the process. Ebenezer Scrooge stormed to the front early on the flat to see off Made U Look by a comprehensive five lengths with a similar margin back to How’s The Head in third.

Very special

This was a very special occasion for Daly, who runs Valentia Ice Cream Parlour and Farmhouse Dairy, as it was his very first success. He presently has four horses, with son Evan working alongside him, and said: “I bought him in June and he needed a bit of time. I ride him out myself and he will probably now go to a winners’ race.”

Slieverue-based owner/trainer Ian Andrew Power was on the mark with Country Mouse (6/4 - 3/1) in the five-year-old mares’ maiden.

Country Mouse, having finished third to subsequent £285,000 Cheltenham December sale acquisition Heron In The Park on her return to action at Borris House two months earlier, was always positioned close to the pace and she led from before the second-last with Darragh Allen to beat the only other finisher Princess Georgie by 38 lengths.

However, Malina Road, who had to contend with a slipped saddle inside the final half-mile, was some eight lengths adrift of the winner in second spot when unseating at the final fence.

The Kingston Hill-sired Country Mouse, who dam is a half-sister to Eddie Harty’s Grade 3 chase winning mare Dressedtothenines, will now more than likely be sold.

SMALL trainers are experiencing a good run in points at present. Three-horse handler Don Browne saddled West Of Carrig to win the Dungarvan open the previous afternoon and here it was the turn of Tallow-based owner/trainer Daniel O’Brien who sent out My Best Valentine (4/5 favourite) to record her fifth points success in the mares’ open, destroying the opposition in the process.

The seven-year-old My Best Valentine, who posted her initial victory in open company at Aghabullogue when beating a former J.P. McManus charge in Ciel De Niege, was soon at the head of affairs with regular partner Stefan Tobin and she gave a sublime jumping display in front.

She stylishly asserted from after two out to dismiss Iorens by 11 lengths with a further two and a half lengths back to Little Token in third.

O’Brien, who spent time with Jimmy Mangan in his younger days, presently has just two horses in his care. He reported of the Malinas-sired My Best Valentine: “She’s a mighty mare that loves galloping and jumping and we could go for a hunter chase with her sometime in March.”

DARA McGill made an initial visit to Ballyvodock worthwhile from his Co Derry base by joining forces with absent owner/trainer Tom Keating to collect the five-year-old geldings’ maiden aboard Inishcorker (4/1 - 100/30 favourite).

The Jukebox Jury-sired Inishcorker, having made a particularly pleasing debut by coming fifth at Boulta before Christmas, was always well positioned in this 12-runner contest and he picked up the running before two out.

While far from fluent at the final fence, he still eclipsed Rowdy by a half-length in a race that saw a little over two lengths cover the first four home.

“He ran well in Boulta, things just didn’t work out on the day for him. He’s a nice horse that will now be for sale,” said Keating’s representative Chris O’Donovan of Inishcorker, a May foal who was acquired for €31,000 at the 2023 Goffs Arkle Sale. He is a half-brother to Nicky Henderson’s three-time scorer Bhaloo, from the sale family as Uttoxoter Midlands Grand National winner Goonyella.

Ciaran Fennessy’s Mags Nelson (9/10 - evens favourite) attained a deserved turn in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden, much to the chagrin of the eight bookmakers present.

The six-year-old Mags Nelson, a runner-up on his two previous starts at Ballindenisk already this term, was always positioned on the pace and he made the best of his way home from before two out with Dungourney native Michael Kenneally to defeat Cloneen To The Max by four and a half lengths.

Mags Nelson, a close relation to former listed bumper winning mare Panic Attack who won a £45,000 mares’ handicap chase for Dan Skelton at Windsor last month, represents the 12-member Rathmoy Syndicate from Rathcormac and Fermoy.

King Gris (Denis Paul Murphy): A grey by Gris Des Gris who finished fourth to Classical Creek on his Tattersalls debut last April, this €35,000 Tattersalls Ireland July Sale graduate made an excellent return to action in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden by arriving from off the pace to finish third.

Beaten just over a half-length, the French-bred should reward connections over the coming weeks.