THE Ward Union Staghounds’ annual point-to-point took place at The Folly on Saturday afternoon, by kind permission of the Duffy family. A large, galloping track with a separate finishing chute, Oldtown is described by many as ‘one of the best point-to-point courses in the country’ and Denis Murphy echoed that sentiment, as he recorded a double on the day.

The Ballyboy Stables team struck first in the two and a half-mile four-year-old maiden with Jet Of Stars (3/1 – 4/1) their third winner in the category from as many runners this month.

The €60,000 Goffs Arkle sale acquisition, who is a half-brother to the 13-time and multiple graded winner, The Game Changer, made smooth progress through the field, joining the leader on the approach to the penultimate obstacle, in the hands of Jack Hendrick. Despite a slight scare at the last, the Jet Away gelding asserted smartly on the flat to score by four lengths, beating fellow newcomer Nimbal in the process.

Best tracks

“His homework was savage, that’s why we came here to one of the best tracks in the country. I was a little nervous watching him coming over the last, but thankfully he picked up,” Murphy said.

Apache Tribe (7/2 - 4/1) completed a quick double for the Denis Murphy - Jack Hendrick duo, who are proving a force to be reckoned with, as the son of Jukebox Jury landed the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, which saw 12 horses head to post, the biggest field of the day.

Second on debut at Cragmore 20 days earlier, Apache Tribe put that experience to good use, as he took a share of the lead after three out.

He was then headed by Len on the approach to the final obstacle, but with that rival blundering his rider out of the saddle at the last, Apache Tribe was allowed to come home four lengths clear of the newcomer, Treasure Memory.

“He had a great run last time at Cragmore, and Jack was confident that he was always going to win today,” Murphy said of the €68,000 half-brother to the eight-time winner On The Go.

“He just wanted company and didn’t want to get there too soon. He hadn’t gone for broke and still had plenty in reserve. He is a lovely horse out of the Arkle sale.”

A VERY competitive open featured many well-known names, including a former Galway Plate winner, a champion pointer and a Grade 1 King George VI Chase winner and Irish National winner (Tornado Flyer and Burrows Saint).

The 2020 Galway Plate winner, Early Doors (7/4 - 2/1 joint-favourite), narrowly denied champion pointer Winged Leader, as they served up a thrilling finish, with the pair at the top of the market.

The J.P. McManus-owned 12-year-old first appeared in the pointing field when he won this contest last year, before then going on to land a hunter chase at Killarney in May.

Enda Bolger once again elected to start his season at the Dublin venue, as he overcame a 257-day break.

Given a typical Derek O’Connor waiting ride, Early Doors raced towards the rear before jumping well when it mattered.

He arrived at the second last with a well-timed challenge and battled bravely to the line to deny Winged Leader by a neck, and the upcoming Cheltenham Festival could possibly be on the agenda.

“That was brilliant,” Bolger said. “Last year, we didn’t know what we had, and he had a good hunter chase season, so he might get an entry in the Foxhunters.

“That was a proper open, with a King George winner, Irish National winner, Galway Plate winner, and the best point-to-point horse we have seen in a long, long time, so, I’m very pleased.”

Second wind

The Kevin Ross-trained High Tea (6/1 - 7/1) got off the mark on his fifth attempt in the older geldings’ maiden. After falling on his last outing at Dromahane in December, the son of Mount Nelson looked like the first horse beaten on the long run to the penultimate obstacle.

However, he found a second wind down the outer under Dara McGill and arrived at the last with a well-timed challenge, picking up smartly on the flat to assert by a length from Winning Paddy.

THE David Christie-trained Hathaways Cottage (3/1 - 4/1) recorded a pillar-to-post victory in the winners of three contest, as she set a strong gallop from the drop of the flag.

Barry O’Neill’s mount upped the tempo with a circuit to race, building a 20-length advantage, but despite getting well clear, she allowed the field to close in on her at the top of the hill, before battling admirably down the straight to hang on by a neck from Getoffyourphone.

Out of a half-sister to Creepy, a Grade 2 novice hurdle winner, she recorded her fourth career success, just seven days after her most recent victory at Kirkistown.

“It’s great to see her becoming the mare we thought she could be,” Christie stated of the Ray Nicholas-owned mare. “She is very, very hard on herself. She got an injury a month after the Limerick hunter chase, and it was very difficult to get her back at all, so she’s been very brave.

“Barry said that, for the first mile, she was brilliant and settled, but then she took him on everywhere. I thought she did well to hang on and maintain that gallop; it’s not easy.”

Simply successful

The Patrick Turley stable unveiled a smart newcomer, as the inexpensive acquisition Simply Natural (3/1 favourite) justified her position at the top of the market in the mares’ maiden.

A €5,500 purchase from the Tattersalls July Sale, the Mary Turley-owned mare proved to be great value for that price tag, as she jumped and travelled strongly into the race under a confident Declan Lavery.

The British-bred daughter of Spanish Moon stamped her authority over her rivals from the penultimate fence, as she asserted to return six lengths clear of Lucy Jordan.

Horse to Follow

Kanog Bay (I. P. Donoghue): He was putting in a smart performance, when he came down at two out. This smartly bred son of Tirwanako was just getting involved at the business end, when he crashed out. He will be one to watch next time.