HAVING lost their autumn fixture, the Galway Blazers staged their annual spring meeting in Loughrea on the lands of the Leahy family, boasted by a glorious spring afternoon to lift the spirits of those in attendance.

Al Gasparo (3/1 - 5/2) vindicated the promise that he had shown when finishing an eye-catching third on debut at Bellharbour in February when taking the spoils in the opening four-year-old maiden. Supporting the silks of new owner Susan Barton, who recently acquired this French-bred son of Al Namix, the winner produced a gusty display having made two significant jumping errors three from home and again at the last to fend off the fast-finishing Walk On Quest.

Taking the turn for home, Finny Maguire capitalised upon Itseemslikeit and Derek O’Connor hanging badly on the turn-in, in an incident which also hampered the eventual second Walking On Quest who was pushed widest of all.

This gifted the winner a dream run up the inner and it was a narrow advantage that was never surrendered.

Handler Ciaran Murphy stated: “We just let him strengthen up since his run the last day, the ground would have been testing for him today but he got it done well, he was eye catching the last day and new owners bought him. He will probably have a break now and head for the track.”

Dominant

The most dominant performance of the day was produced by Annie Express (2/1) for Brian Lawless and handler Sean Doyle in the five-year-old mares’ maiden.

A daughter of Getaway she simply was a class apart from her rivals making all from flag fall and stretched the opposition on the run for the last to leave her nearest rival toiling in her wake.

By the penultimate fence she had the race sewn up such was her superiority over her rivals and was eased down before the line to defeat Sarah Beara by seven lengths.

“She’s a nice mare, she had a nice run as a four-year-old and we always thought a lot of her, just she wasn’t right the second day she ran, she was a bit weak, but we fancied her there today,” said winning owner Jim O’Neill.

“She was always a nice filly, her work was very good, we taught she was good enough to win a four-year-old, but she just got a bit weak on us and was still growing. She will probably go to the sales now.”

Familiar

The familiar silks of owner-trainer Tom Keating were once again first past the post courtesy of Whistle Stop Tour (4/1) in the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

A field of six runners headed to the start for this contest, but leaving the back straight it was Keating’s son of Saddex and the challenging Primoz that pulled clear.

Having been ridden from the back of the second and headed on the run to the last, Whistle Stop Tour looked to be held in second and travelling second best, but to his credit he answered every question asked of him by Dara McGill and went on to prevail by three quarters of a length.

“He’s a nice horse, he’s actually still growing, he was very green and once I turned in and hit him a few smacks he went straight back on the bridle and was only doing enough, I had plenty left,” McGill said.

The son of Scorpion doubled his career tally with ease, having always sat off the strong pace that was set by his two rivals.

With the favourite Prophets Corner pulling-up in the back straight, Step Up Son found plenty for his rider’s urgings and scooted into a four-length advantage approaching the last, going on to score by 10 lengths from Inchidaly Robin.

Walsh had been unable to train the horse last season due to injury and sent him to Shark Hanlon, with the seven-year-old now one of three horses that he has in training.

“When he’s on form, he’s on form, he just had a few little problems before this year and we sorted them now I think,” Walsh said.

“He needs that soft ground. He might go for another one of these or a hunter chase. Hopefully we might get another run into him before the season is out.”

Drama

The adjacent maiden was an open-looking race on paper, but it was not short of drama as the long-time leader and smooth travelling Carapaz exited the contest when falling two from the finish to hand the advantage to Askmore and Darragh Allen.

Having been pulled up at Nenagh in February, he was reported to have been sick post-race by connections, he showed his running today when defeating Illegal D’Ainay by a length in the colours of owner Charles Clarke.

“All our horses were sick, and he pulled up and wasn’t well,” said Sarah Smyth, wife of handler Brian Hassett.

“We went back to the drawing board and got him healthy again. I’m not sure if he will run again, he might head to the sales but we will have to discuss that with the owner.”

SMALL fields were the common theme of the day, and this continued in the mares’ open.

The Sam Curling-trained La Feline, who is the reigning champion point-to-point mare, was awarded a walk over when she was the sole horse from an initial entry of seven to be declared for the feature race.

Generously, her connections donated the prize money from the race to the Galway Blazers hunt.

Itseemslikeit (S. Curling): The pick of the parade ring, this son of Black Sam Bellamy showed enough ability on debut to suggest he will be difficult to oppose the next time out, having hung badly on the final bend, he finished like a train and was only beaten by less than a length in third.