THE Sam Curling-handled Wonderwall (6/4-5/4) marked himself down as an exciting recruit to open company when running out a taking winner of the featured open lightweight at last Sunday’s Galway Blazers meeting held at Loughrea.

A £33,000 acquisition from Goffs UK in July, the eight-year-old was settled in mid-field by Derek O’Connor as favourite Ramillies and First Touch took the five runners along up front.

A dual track winner when in the care of Richard Spencer, the 2021 Weatherbys Champion Bumper seventh Wonderwall swept through late in the piece on the wide outside to win in cosy fashion, a length and a half ahead of Er Dancer.

“We’re delighted with that. He’d been working very well at home and that will do his confidence the world of good. He’ll continue in these sort of races before going down the hunter chase route,” said Curling of the now John O’Leary-owned gelding.

The Denis Murphy-owned and trained Un Sens A La Vie (2/1-3/1) similarly created a favourable impression at the Dartfield venue when claiming the opening four-year-old maiden in the hands of Jack Hendrick.

Quickening nicely

A highly encouraging third to Theflyingking at Loughanmore on his debut last April, the Muhtathir bay reeled in the front-running Cosmos D’Ainay at the final fence before quickening nicely on the flat to withstand the late effort of Bras D’Or by a neck.

“This is a lovely horse that stands 16.2hh or 16.3hh,” revealed Murphy of his €50,000 2023 Derby Sale acquisition.

“He was a shade unlucky on his debut but did it nicely today. The summer’s grass did him no harm and he’ll be sold now.”

The five-year-old geldings’ maiden saw Youlita (4/1-6/1) benefit from a judicious James Murphy-ride to spring a mild surprise.

Owned and bred by the Cashman family from outside Fermoy, Co Cork, who for good measure also stand the bay’s sire Youmzain, third-timer Youlita atoned for pulling up on his two outings last term when coming from off the pace to collar favourite Well Buoy near the line and oblige by three-parts of a length.

“He’s a lovely horse who enjoyed the nice ground today. He’s learning to settle after being too keen last year. James got him into a beautiful rhythm and his patience was rewarded. The horse will possibly go for a bumper now,” reflected stable representative Patrick Mangan.

THE Glenview Stud-located sire Youmzain registered his second winner of the afternoon in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden as the sweet-jumping Mandalay Maggie (6/4-2/1 favourite) posted a pillar-to-post triumph.

Having her initial foray for handler Seán Osborne, last season’s Ballingarry runner-up Mandalay Maggie was clearly holding all the aces under Harry Goff from the penultimate obstacle and she duly kept up her gallop in the straight to account for Beckley Love by four and a half lengths.

“This is a nice type of mare that we bought out of Mick Goff’s and Mick’s son Harry was good and positive on her today. We should have plenty of fun with her this season and we’ll now look towards the winners’ race in Tinahely,” observed co-owner Ray Jennings of Mandalay Maggie in whom Mairéad and Larry O’Hara also hold an interest.

Beckley Love’s rider Eoin Mahon later got on the scoresheet as last season’s Quakerstown confined maiden winner Fountain House (6/4 favourite) resumed winning ways in the closing winners ofone. Having his first outing since finishing runner-up in the Ladies Cup last April, Ian McCarthy’s charge overcame an early jumping error, when, having hit the front after the third-last, drawing clear in the closing stages to dismiss Fralimonti Bilbery by a widening four and a half lengths.

“That was a lovely way to start the season. After last year, we have Punchestown in the back of our minds for him again.

“We’re plotting our way back there so we’ll look at winners’ contests and banks races for him going forward,” stated McCarthy of Fountain House who sports his wife Nikki’s silks.

Ivan shows a Touch

of class

THE former track performer Look Don’t Touch (6/4-5/2) credited Oldtown, Co Dublin pilot Ivan Ryan with a second career success when running out a wide-margin victor in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden, a race which was confined to novice riders.

Owned by the winning jockey’s father Kieran, the Conor Maxwell-handled gelding, fitted with cheekpieces, forged ahead of Longhouse Star on touching down two from home before stylishly asserting late in the day to score by 18 lengths. “I’m delighted to give Ivan and his family a winner. Ivan is in college but rides out for me three or four mornings a week. We will find a winners’ race for the horse now and possibly go back to the track with him then,” remarked Stamullen, Co Meath-based Maxwell.

Bras D’Or (D. O’Connor): This bay son of Easy Game’s sire Barastraight took a notable step forward from his debut effort over course and distance last May to finish a neck second to Un Sens A La Vie in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden. He finished strongly and a similar race looks well within his capabilities whilst he should also develop into a capable track-performer.