THERE were a couple of extremely close finishes at Sunday’s bitterly-cold Ballindenisk meeting, hosted by the United Hunt Club, none more so than in the four-year-old maiden as Declan Queally’s mount Desert Ian narrowly got the better of Dangerous Touch.

The well-supported Desert Ian (evens - 4/5 favourite), trained by Queally’s father and namesake for Rathcormac-based owner/breeder Harry Gettings, certainly brought the best form to the table in this 13-runner contest considering that he was only just touched off on his sole previous start at Comea back in February.

The victorious son of Arctic Cosmos, a half-brother to 128-rated hurdling mare Desert Heather, made his way to the front after the penultimate of the 12 obstacles.

The newcomer Dangerous Touch moved through to challenge with every chance on the run to the last. Indeed, the aforementioned grey led briefly on the flat and while it was then nip and tuck between the pair, it was the Queally inmate that came out on top by a head.

The pair drew 14 lengths clear of the third-placed River Run Free.

The younger Queally remarked of Desert Ian: “He’s a nice staying horse that has grown over the summer, but I’m unsure if he will be sold now or whether we will go to the track with him.”

Brimming with quality

The James Motherway-trained Dinny Lacey (4/1 - 5/1) recorded a battling success in the open, a race that in six runners was low in quantity but brimming with quality.

The Grade 1-placed chaser Lifetime Ambition, already a dual winner this autumn, took the runners out on the final circuit closely shadowed by 2022 Cheltenham Foxhunters runner-up Winged Leader with last month’s Dromahane runner-up Dinny Lacey edging ever closer under regular partner James Hannon.

Dinny Lacey, himself a former 135-rated chaser, picked up the running two out and Lifetime Ambition came back to challenge approaching the last.

An excellent leap at this final fence put Lifetime Ambition back in with every chance, but he couldn’t quite cope with Dinny Lacey as the line loomed with a head the winning margin.

Winged Leader more than acquitted himself by returning a further two lengths adrift in third.

“It’s great to get his head in front and he’s a horse that’s probably best off being ridden cold as he was today,” opined handler Motherway of the Brian Acheson-owned Dinny Lacey, who actually won a Cork hunter chase last Easter. “The plan now is to try and win another open with him and if that happens, he’s then qualified for the Aintree Foxhunters.”

The father and daughter combination of Pat and Susie Doyle, out of luck with Lifetime Ambition, earlier struck with I Masked Du Potier in the five-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Travelling best

I Masked Du Potier (evens - 2/1 favourite), who dead-heated for second spot with subsequent dual scorer Born Braver behind Wise Move at Tattersalls Farm in late October, led from six out.

The eventual winner was travelling best with a two-length advantage when his closest pursuer Castle Croiuil unseated at the final fence.

The winning son of Masked Marvel, representing his handler’s wife Mary, then returned with 16 and a half lengths to spare over newcomer Alright Montana.

“We’ll probably give him a small break now and go for the winners’ race at Belharbour,” said the elder Doyle of I Masked Du Potier.

THE David Christie-trained Hathaways Cottage (7/4 - 2/1 favourite) became the only winner to benefit from front-running tactics on the six-race card by recording an emphatic pillar-to-post success under Barry O’Neill in the mares’ winners’ of two.

The hooded five-year-old Hathaways Cottage, having fallen when held in second spot at the last behind Dear Ryta on her previous start at Tinahely in October, got into a lovely rhythm at the head of affairs and the physically-imposing bay stretched clear from two out to beat the admittedly eased-down Millie B by 24 lengths.

“We always knew that the engine was there and she was very relaxed today. We started to ride her out in a Triabit bit recently and we can start to plan a wee bit with her now. We could now look at the maiden hunters chase at Limerick over Christmas,” disclosed Christie of the Ray Nicholas-owned Hathaways Cottage.

Harding success

Marie Harding, who actually sent out Hathaways Cottage to win at Liscarroll on debut last March, struck with Lep Around (3/1 - 9/2) in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Watzdastoryrosie still held the call when slipping up on the bend turning into the home straight well before the second last, hampering newcomer Deravarra Rose.

Lep Around, meanwhile, was then sent to the front by Eoin O’Brien approaching this penultimate obstacle and she bounded clear before the last to account for the always-prominent Yougoingforone by 22 lengths.

“She’s a real nice mare and if she got her jumping together, there would be no fears for her,” remarked Miss Harding of the Jet Away-sired Lep Around, whom her brother John owns in partnership with three work friends Brian Harte, Brian Sheedy and Tom Sheedy.

THE five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden closed proceedings and Glady Max (3/1 - 4/1) stepped forwards from his fifth-placed point debut at Lisronagh last month by returning to the coveted number one slot under Johnny Hurley.

The Jimmy Mangan-trained Glady Max, a creditable fifth in a Gowran Park maiden hurdle back in March, gave chase to newcomer Our Story from after two out.

The winning son of Maxios was faster in the air over the last and he mastered the promising Our Story in the closing stages to oblige by two and a half lengths.

“It’s great to win with him and he’ll probably now go for a winners’ race,” said Mangan of the five-year-old Glady Max, sporting the silks of the Cloyne-based Any Given Day Syndicate.

Horse to Follow

Dangerous Touch (Ian Andrew Power): This grey newcomer by Vendangeur really put it up to Desert Ian on his debut in the four-year-old maiden. The 2022 Fairyhouse July sale graduate held every chance from the last and was duly beaten a head into second spot. A late April foal, he should effortlessly make his mark on the racetrack.