THERE was some cracking fare at Sunday’s Lismore meeting, hosted by the West Waterford Foxhounds at Castlelands, and the Denis Murphy-owned and trained newcomer Future Prospect created a very favourable impression by showing her rivals a clean pair of heels in the four-year-old mares’ maiden.

On an afternoon that witnessed quite holding underfoot conditions, Rock Sensation and Supreme Malinas took the seven runners along until Princess Keri moved through to join issue before the fourth last of the 15 obstacles.

Rock Sensation still held a fractional advantage over Princess Keri approaching the second last except that Future Prospect (3/1 – 5/1) was edging ever closer the whole time.

Second winner

The winning daughter of Order Of St George, a second winner of the weekend for her sire whose first crop are just four-year-olds, threaded her way through to lead on the inner before the last and she then stormed clear to contain Rock Sensation by four lengths.

Future Prospect was partnered by 17-year-old Shane Cotter, who presently works with Murphy.

The Britway teenager, who rode a winner for David Christie aboard Au Fleuron at Kirkistown the previous afternoon, was recording a fifth success of the season and he is a name that we are likely to be hearing a lot more about.

Murphy meanwhile reported of Future Prospect, a €31,000 acquisition as a foal that’s a half-sister to three track winners including blacktype placed chasing mare Redhotfillypeppers: “She is a nice mare that has always worked well and she’ll now be sold.”

The Sean Doyle-trained Big Interest (5/2 – 3/1) annihilated the opposition under Jamie Scallan in a truly-run renewal of the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Big Interest, a €45,000 Derby Sale graduate that’s out of a half-sister to Nicky Hendeson’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Finian’s Rainbow, stepped forwards from his excellent fourth-placed debut effort behind Jacobs Ladder at Oldtown last month by moving though to overtake long-time leader Hinter Wish after four out.

Cobblers Rock was soon in pursuit, but he was fighting a losing battle from after the third last. The winning son of Soldier Of Fortune on the other hand was showing no signs of stopping and he forged clear from two out to beat Cobblers Rock by a distance, with the pair being the only finishers from the seven runners that set out.

“Things were just not run to suit us at Oldtown,” said handler Doyle of his younger brother Gearoid’s Big Interest. “He won like a good horse here and it’s magic to see him put up a performance like that.”

Sean Doyle, however, witnessed the other side of the coin in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden as his newcomer Madame Le’Strange was still holding every chance in a challenging second when falling at the last with victory ultimately going to ex-handicap hurdler Walk Out (evens – 9/10 favourite).

Having an initial start for Paul Kiely having been under the care of joint-handlers’ John and Tommy Kiely when finishing second off a mark of 95 in a Listowel Festival handicap hurdle last September, Walk Out hit the front with James Murphy after the fifh fence.

The winning daughter of Walk In The Park had Madame Le’Strange for company from four out and indeed the latter led after the second last.

On Madame Le’Strange’s departure, Walk Out was left clear to beat Curraheen Queen by 37 lengths in the colours of Dungarvan-based owner Conor Lannen. Walk Out could now contest next month’s Gain Mares’ Final at Ballynoe.

THE current southern regional championship leader Darragh Allen was the only rider to ride a double and he signed off by landing the five-year-old and upwards unplaced maiden aboard Block Rockin Beats (4/1 – 5/1), the very first horse to represent Araglen-based owner/trainer Anthony McHugh.

The five-year-old Block Rockin Beats, named after Dec Pierse’s radio show on Today FM, provided ample indication of ability by coming sixth to Dream On Daddy on his previous start at Ballyvodock and the son of Sageburg had all of eight lengths to make up on Milo Miller having been left in second spot following the penultimate fence departure of Dixie Mafia.

Block Rockin Beats though eroded the deficit on the run to the final fence and he swept to the fore over 50 yards out to dismiss Milo Miller by six lengths.

Block Rockin Beats was bought by McHugh, who works full-time as an electrician, at the 2022 Goffs Land Rover Sale and the victorious bay could now be sold.

Allen was earlier on the mark aboard his brother Sean’s Lonesome Boatman (evens – 4/5 favourite) in the open.

Lonesome Boatman, who was recording his third consecutive success of the campaign having won his maiden at Lingstown in late November before capturing last month’s Tallow open, led from two out and he swept clear on the flat to thwart Battle Of Benburb by three lengths.

The 16-year-old Fr Humphrey hinted that he should be winning again before too long by securing the minor honours, a further two lengths adrift of the Patrick O’Leary-owned eight-year-old.

Lonesome Boatman may now contest a hunters’ chase at Cork on Easter Monday.

JOHNNY Collins, he of Brown Island Stables fame, first cut his teeth on the pointing circuit and it was entirely fitting that the Carrigtwohill-based owner/trainer returned to his roots by sending out French-bred newcomer Kosac D’Ousairies (4/1 – 9/2) to win a competitive running of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden under Eoin O’Brien.

The patiently-ridden Kosac D’Oudairies, having blundered three out, moved through to challenge Lon Chaney at the second last.

Whilst hitting the front briefly after this penultimate obstacle, the victorious son of Castle Du Berlais was still just a half-length adrift of Lon Chaney in second spot and holding every chance when Denis Hogan’s charge cruelly unseated at the last.

The triumphant chesnut was then left clear to beat long-time leader Home Made Hero by 11 lengths with Absolutely Dylan more than acquitting himself by returning a further half-length adrift in third.

Horse to Follow

Lon Chaney (D. G. Hogan): This newcomer that’s a half-brother to Padraig Butler’s cracking hurdler Da Capo Glory still held a slender advantage when unseating at the last in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden. The son of Walk In The Park that’s also a close relation to God’s Own appeals as a sure track winner.