THE Michael Griffin-trained Little Ajay posted a taking debut performance to win the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Sunday’s Bandon meeting which was taking place under the auspices of the Carbery Foxhounds at Kilpatrick for the 40th year.

On an afternoon that fittingly saw a minute’s silence observed in memory of two former committee members in Paddy Whelton and Billy Barry who both passed away before Christmas, Little Ajay (5/4 - 6/4 favourite) was held up towards the rear of the six-runner field as recent Knockanard third Hakensack forced the pace.

The winning son of Mount Nelson moved ever closer from the third last of the 14 obstacles and he picked up the running travelling best well before the final fence.

With fellow debutant Give Him A Chance unseating just after the last when having no more to offer in second, it was Potters Voyage that returned to the number two slot behind the Alan Grey-owned winner with 16 and a half lengths separating the pair.

“He’s a nice horse that has always worked well and he won a schooling hurdle recently. He will now probably be sold, “said handler Griffin of Little Ajay, an early May foal who is out of an unraced half-sister to Grade 2-winning hurdler/chaser Boychuk who was also placed at Grade 1 level.

Two winners

Little Ajay’s rider Johnny Barry departed with two winners as he was later on the mark aboard locally-based Upton handler Mikey Kennedy’s clear-form choice Simply The Bestone (4/5 - 2/5 favourite) in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts’ maiden, much to the dismay of the seven bookmakers present.

Simply The Bestone, runner-up on his previous start at Nenagh two weeks earlier, moved to the head of affairs at the second-fence and the market leader that’s owned and bred by his trainer’s landlord, Conor Murphy, made the rest of the running.

The winning son of Westerner was well in command approaching the final fence and, with ex-handicap hurdler Catrionas Darling unseating here when narrowly holding onto second spot, it was left to No Pains No Gains to chase home the victorious five-year-old with the winning margin being 18 lengths.

Good runs

In Kennedy’s absence, his representative Jamie Hurley disclosed of Simply The Bestone: “He had a couple of good runs earlier this year and it’s great to win this race, although it’s a shame that Conor [Murphy] couldn’t be here today. I’d imagine that Simply The Bestone will now go for a winners’ race, provided that he’s not sold. “

River Grainey (2/1), a runner-up at Aghabullogue in January, deservedly opened her account under owner/trainer Turlough O’Connor in an eventful five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

River Grainey led from the fifth fence and the six-year-old daughter of Shirocco was holding in the region of a three-length advantage when refusing at the last. With the pursuing Down The Park and then Easter Baroness likewise refusing, River Grainey negotiated the obstacle at the second attempt to defeat Hero In The Sky by 12 lengths.

HANDLER Jimmy Mangan, a frequent visitor to Bandon over the years, combined with Johnny Hurley to record a double, with the pair doubling up courtesy of ex-hurdler Glady Max (3/1 - 5/2) in a competitive renewal of the winners’ of one.

On an excellent afternoon for front-runners, the six-year-old Glady Max supplemented his success in a Ballindenisk adjacent hunts’ maiden in December by benefitting from pacesetting duties.

While challenged by runner-up Bartlemy Boy well before the last, the sweet-jumping Glady Max valiantly asserted just before this final fence to oblige by three lengths from ‘Trixie’ Barry’s market leader. The pair meanwhile returned 38 lengths clear of the third-placed finisher Farmers Future.

“Derek O’Connor rode him from off the pace the last day when he fell two out in a winners’ race at Turtulla. Derek was happy with him at the time,” reported handler Mangan of the Maxios-sired Glady Max, a 2021 Derby sale graduate that represents the Any Given Day Syndicate.

“We said that we would let him bowl along in front today if there wasn’t much pace. The plan now is the hunters’ chase at Cork on Easter Monday.”

The giant-sized Forest Rock (evens – 5/4 favourite) initiated the Mangan/Hurley brace in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Best form

Forest Rock, a son of Dansant that was homebred by Mangan’s wife Mary, brought the best form to the table considering he finished second on his previous two starts this year at Ballindenisk and Tallow. He set off in front and seemed to be travelling best in the lead on the run to the last.

The victorious six-year-old, however, gave his many supporters near heart-palpitations by blundering here and then edging left-handed, losing valuable momentum in the process.

Whilst runner-up Keeptheoldmanout duly held a chance of sorts, Forest Rock was in no mood to be denied and eclipsed James Hannon’s former park performer by a half-length in what was the afternoon’s closest finish. Cold Old Fire meanwhile hinted that his turn is imminent by returning a similar margin adrift in third.

Mangan will have attained immense satisfaction from this success, as Forest Rock represents Ballynoe-based Edward Hartnett, whose late father Moss was a trusted ally of the Conna-based operator for many years.

BARTLEMY native Josh Ahern, a 19-year-old History and PE teaching student at UCC, recorded a second career success aboard his father Garrett Ahern’s King’s Alex (6/4 - 7/4 favourite) in the novice riders’ open.

The ultra-consistent 10-year-old King Alex, who was placed on his four most recent starts in opens this term, led until he was joined by fellow veteran Dashing Perk after four out.

There was then little to separate pair until King Alex, a former four-time track winner when under the care of Barry Connell, mastered the Sarah McNamara-ridden Dashing Perk before the last to score by four and a half lengths.

The elder Ahern remarked of his daughter Chloe’s King Alex: “I’m delighted that he has won an open and a lot of thanks must go to Barry Connell for giving him to us. He will now go for a hunters’ chase at Cork on Easter Monday.”

Give Him A Chance (L. Kenny): This homebred son of Workforce was destined to finish a fine second but for unseating at the last behind Little Ajay in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. He should easily attain consolation over the coming weeks.