‘THERE’S only one Deccie Queally’.

That was the loud cry that greeted the Cappagh amateur on more than one occasion as he returned to the winner’s enclosure at Sunday’s Lisgoold meeting in Ballindenisk where he combined with his father and namesake to record a treble.

On an afternoon that saw the start time of the United Hunt-sanctioned fixture put back by half an hour to allow the frost to come out of the ground, The Jam Man (6/4 – 2/5) completed the Waterford pair’s hat-trick by making a well-supported return to points duty in the open.

A former 11-time track winner for Richard Curran, and more recently Ronan McNally, the 2020 Troytown Chase winner was always on the pace and he shadowed Vis La Toi for much of the journey until going for home on the run to the second last.

Last month’s December Ballindenisk winner Dinny Lacey mounted a determined challenge on the run to the last and, although closing to within the girths of the winner, Ray Barron’s mount wasn’t able to raise his effort on the flat and he was duly beaten a length into second spot by the 11-year-old.

King Alex hinted that his turn is imminent by returning a further 11 lengths adrift in third.

“We bought him from Ronan McNally two and a half months ago and it’s great that Ronan’s son ‘Tubs’ was here to lead him up today,” said rider Queally of the former 150-rated chaser The Jam Man, now representing his mother, Bernie.

“He worked well during the week, but is still carrying a bit of condition. He will probably now run at Dungarvan in three weeks’ time.”

The father and son combination were earlier on the mark with yet another favourite Manatee Du Brizais (7/4) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon with 10 runners.

Manatee Du Brizais, who still held definite place prospects when falling two out in the Boulta maiden won by Rosscahill last month, was another that was always well positioned and he regained the lead two out.

The victorious son of Manatee, who was purchased in France, was well in command approaching the last and he swept clear on the flat to contain The Wrecklessruler by eight and a half lengths.

The promising Carry On Tears benefited from the final fence departure of newcomer Inbeforered to return a further 17 lengths adrift in third.

“He’s a horse that would be better on nicer ground. If he’s not sold, he will go for a bumper,” remarked Declan Queally junior of the Sean Browne-owned Manatee Du Brizais.

The Queallys experienced the best possible start to proceedings by landing the opening five-year-old mares’ maiden with newcomer Diamond Nora (4/5 – 4/7 favourite).

A daughter of Diamond Boy that’s out of a half-sister to Noel Meade’s former dual Grade 1 winning novice chaser Monksland, Diamond Nora benefited from front-running tactics.

While her one-time clear advantage was eroded from halfway, the odds-on shot gave a superb display of fencing and she produced another outstanding jump at the final fence on her way to defeating main market rival Honeywort by one and a half lengths.

The younger Queally intimated that Diamond Nora, owned by Rachelle Fitzsimmons from Co Antrim, will now contest a winners’ race if she’s not sold in the interim.

THIS well-attended meeting is one that will live long in the memory of 19-year-old Bartlemy native Josh Ahern, a first year PE and History student at UCC, as he rode a first career winner aboard his owner-trainer father Garrett’s Salseros (5/1) in the closing adjacent maiden.

Salseros, a former Barry Connell inmate who finished a creditable sixth on his previous start in the Limerick maiden hunters chase over Christmas, eased to the front before two out and he duly cruised clear to dismiss favourite Forest Rock by 25 lengths.

The elder Ahern, whose previous success came courtesy of Nusra on the all-weather at Dundalk in November, intimated that the nine-year-old Salseros will be kept to winners’ contests and points for the remainder of the season.

There was another family success in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden as Fermoy-based handler ‘Trixie’ Barry sent out his wife Mary Hayes’ Bartlemy Boy (3/1), whose dam is out of a half-sister to Jamie Snowden’s Cheltenham Festival-winning mare You Wear It Well, to oblige in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

The giant Bartlemy Boy vindicated the promise of his excellent third-placed debut effort behind Eaton Anne at Boulta in late November by leading from two out with Cal Shine, and then surviving an awkward moment at the final fence, when well in command at the time, to dispose of Not Now Tayto by a widening 11 lengths.

Barry, who also started off the likes of Idle Talk and Sraid Padraig in points, indicated that his 2021 Tattersalls Ireland May sale graduate will now contest a winners’ race in the spring provided he’s not sold beforehand.

TALLOW amateur Stefan Tobin, who steered Johngus to success in a Limerick handicap hurdle over Christmas, recorded a third points success aboard the Garry Aherne-trained My Best Valentine (8/1) in the six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

The seasonal debutante My Best Valentine picked up the running with five fences remaining and she was clearly travelling best approaching two out.

She effortlessly surged clear after this second-last obstacle to dispense with last month’s Ballindenisk runner-up Yougoingforone by 35 lengths.

Tallow-based owner Dan O’Brien rides out My Best Valentine daily at handler Aherne’s Conna base and the six-year-old daughter of Malinas, who traces back to Kerry National winner Star Clipper, is now likely to contest the mares’ winners’ race at Knockanard next month.

Horse to follow

Walk Easy (T. Keating): This son of Walk In The Park, having finished third on his previous two starts at Quakerstown and Tattersalls, was still lying second when blundering at the last in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden. He duly faded to finish fourth, but this performance indicates that he should be up to winning before too long.