ON a sunny autumnal afternoon, Declan Queally combined with his father and namesake to complete a double at the Wexford Foxhounds meet at Knockmullen House.

The Queally name has been up in lights on the track and in the point-to-point fields with great regularity in recent times and the trend continued at the New Ross venue.

Only recently returned to the riding ranks, Queally jnr has now steered home four winners in succession, following on from Loughrea and Damma House victories with his brace here initiated on the Philip Murphy-owned Artic Lane (3/1 - 5/2).

Third on debut at Umma House, the Arctic Cosmos bay showed stamina in abundance as he registered a convincing eight-length success in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Newcomer Big Mike ran a fine race to fill the runner-up spot, with the front pair all of 80 lengths clear of Way Down South, the only other finisher in this 10-runner affair.

“He is out of a mare that got blacktype and won a couple of races. The owner is from Tramore and would be a good friend to Robert Widger. He was bought as a foal from Paul O’Donnell [breeder] in Dungarvan and we might sell him now,” remarked Queally on dismount.

Well-supported

The talented pilot did the needful for his mother Bernie aboard the well-supported Beau’s Candle (2/1 - 5/4 favourite) in the winners’ of one. He was forceful from flag-fall on this eight-year-old and his confidence in his mount’s staying power wasn’t misplaced as he made all.

Victorious at Lisronagh eight days earlier, the son of Winged Love made a mistake when clear four out but was soon moving with fluency again, and in truth had matters in hand from before the second last. At the line, he had 16-lengths to spare from Wise Move.

At the number one, Queally disclosed the reasoning behind his approach in the saddle: “I just said I wouldn’t mess around. He is a hardy horse who has been around the block. I just wanted to stretch the rest of them out and see if there were kinks in the armour of the younger horses.

“When I got to the end of the hill, I heard him take a heave but he galloped on away again. He’d always be saving a bit.”

OUT of dual Grade 3 scorer Tally Em Up and second at Umma House last month, Wednesday Addams (1/1 - 2/1 favourite) was a game winner of the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden.

The complexion of this race changed when clear leader Adalira crashed out at the ninth, with the patiently ridden Colin Bowe-trained victor taking closer order from three out.

Ridden to challenge approaching the next, the Telescope grey overhauled Santapietra on the run-in and came home a neck to the good under Rob James.

“I picked her up as a foal at the November Sales and her full-brother (John The Spark) won a point-to-point recently,” winning owner Rebecca Surman revealed.

“I like the fillies and Colin does a great job with them. I have another one with him and she will run in a few weeks.”

There was further local success in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, with the Sue O’Gorman-trained Bright Sunrise (2/1) doing the needful for owner-breeder Jim Mernagh.

Having failed to complete on three starts last season, the Ask six-year-old was given a patient ride by Jamie Scallan and was delivered with her effort on the approach to the last.

A half-sister to three-time track winner Stylish Moment, she soon got to the front and extended her advantage on the run-in, coming home five lengths clear of newcomer Ciakat.

“I’m from Adamstown and this is my local hunt point-to-point. My mother Brigid is the secretary,” O’Gorman commented.

“This mare had a bit of trouble behind last year and just wasn’t moving well. We got some surgery done on her and she has been 100 percent since. She always had this in her.”

BORN Braver (5/4 - 9/4 co-favourite), the only runner in a field of five trained outside Co Wexford, made the breakthrough in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Trained and bred by Claire O’Connell and owned by her husband Paul O’Sullivan, the Court Cave bay put his experience to good use.

Second on his return to action at Tattersalls, the Johnny Barry-ridden bay got to the front before two out and kept on well in the closing stages, with the never nearer Scout Master three lengths behind.

“We thought a lot of him when he slipped up on debut last year and got himself injured. I should have left him off after that, but I didn’t,” O’Connell reflected.

“He is a half-brother to Born Famous who won six on the trot for Iain Jardine. He is the second foal out of the mare and this is the sixth generation of the family that we have bred.”

“He is a lovely horse and just needed a bit of time.”

Jimmybrien (3/1 - 7/2), another to have filled the runner-up spot at Tattersalls last month, went a place better in the concluding older geldings’ maiden for novice riders.

Owned and trained by Michael Phillips and ridden by his daughter Hannah, the seven-year-old was never far from the pace and was left in front by the departure of Minella Staycation three fences from home.

Pressed before the next, the Dylan Thomas bay kept finding for pressure and ultimately held off the persistent challenge of Ask Mike by three quarters of a length.

“He just stays going and is an out and out stayer,” the winning rider divulged. “He travelled well today and came home strong, so I think he will be competitive in winners’ company.”

Santapietra (D. P. Murphy): Out of Pietralunga, a winner over flights for Willie Mullins, this Flemensfirth bay really put it up to race fit favourite Wednesday Addams, eventually going down by just a neck.

A further 15 lengths clear of the third, she looks well capable of making the breakthrough in the coming weeks.