LUKE Burke-Ott will forever treasure fond memories of Sunday’s Killeady Harriers meeting at Dromahane, as having recorded an initial track success for Michael Winters at Thurles back in February, the 18-year-old from Boherbue partnered a very first points winner aboard his father Alex Ott’s Inchidaly Copper in the open that was restricted to non-graded winners.

Inchidaly Copper (2/1 - 5/2 favourite), winner of a Downpatrick two miles, five-furlong handicap hurdle off a mark of 85 in June 2022, to add to his three points success attained earlier that same year, always travelled sweetly on his return to points duty and he moved second behind Earths Furies from the seventh of the 14 obstacles.

The winning eight-year-old picked up the running after the third last and he could be called the most likely winner from the penultimate obstacle with four lengths separating him from Earths Furies. Meanwhile, Heroes Of Renown posted his best effort for quite some time by returning a further length adrift in third.

Delighted

Handler Ott, on the mark with his Knockanard five-year-old geldings’ maiden winner Dancingondaceiling over hurdles at Limerick last month, reported of Inchidaly Copper who is owned by his long-time friend Owen O’Flynn from Banteer: “I’m delighted that Luke has ridden a winner on this horse as he did all the work with him two years ago when his brother Andy was out injured for a while.”

And the north Corkonian operator remarked of Inchidaly Copper: “We might go back over hurdles with him now.”

Handler Paul Pierce is experiencing a stellar season and, fresh from his double at this same venue the previous Sunday, the Camross-based handler struck with Mobile Mamma (7/1 - 10/1) in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden which was the race that had attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 15 runners.

Mobile Mamma, having failed to feature on her previous two career starts even if she did acquit herself by finishing seventh behind Mountain Molly at Boulta in November, got into a lovely rhythm in second spot for Sean Staples as Diamond Tiepy set out with the intention of making all.

Mobile Mamma edged into pole position three out and there was only going to be one outcome from the second last as she powered clear from the last to contain Missy Mole by an increasing six and a half lengths.

Track winner

Mobile Mamma, owned by the Blackhall Stables Partnership and hailing from the same family as Rathvinden and Latest Exhibition, was acquired for €7,500 at the 2022 Tattersalls Ireland July sale.

She fits the profile of a track winner on good ground if this performance is anything to go by.

Proceedings closed with the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts’ maiden and the Malachy Hassett-trained mare No Pains No Gains (7/4 - 2/1) attained due reward for her consistency by landing the spoils under Mikey O’Connor.

The seven-year-old mare No Pains No Gains, who was placed on a number of previous occasions, made most of the running except that she faced a determined opponent in Cold Old Fire from two out.

However, the victorious daughter of Imperial Monarch mastered Cold Old Fire before the final fence to beat David O’Brien’s mount by three-quarters of a length.

“She’s a tough mare and really deserved to get her day,” said Hassett’s representative Niall Kelleher of the Gerard Nihill-owned No Pains No Gains.

THE Ciaran Fennessy-owned/trained Ma Jacks Hill (3/1 - 2/1 favourite) created a very favourable impression by recording a sublime front-running performance under Alan O’Sullivan in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, a race in which all 12 participants completed the course.

The towering Ma Jacks Hill, who exited three out on his only previous outing at Quakerstown on Easter Sunday, moved through to dispute the running with Stroll In The Park from the third fence and the son of Famous Name gave an exhibition of fencing.

Spectacular leap

He set sail for home from three out and, having thrown another spectacular leap at the last, he duly returned with two lengths to spare over Sam Curling’s promising first-timer Sortudo.

Stroll In The Park provided ample indication of ability by returning a further four lengths adrift in third.

“He’s a horse that we’ve always thought the world of and on his homework, we were expecting a performance like that,” reported Fermoy-based Fennessy of Ma Jacks Hill, a €13,000 graduate of the 2023 Tattersalls Ireland May sale who is a half-brother to two track-winning mares in Jemina P and Boglone Honey, hailing from the same family as Watson Lake and Feronily.

Ma Jacks Hill, an early May foal, was swiftly added to the Goffs sale after racing at the Punchestown Festival on Thursday where he made €310,000 to Gordon Elliott.

The Garrett Ahern-trained Petite Mike provided the 10 bookmakers present with plenty of cause for cheer by springing a 12/1 upset in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Ex-handicap hurdler Petite Mike got into a lovely rhythm for Cal Shine and he eased ever closer before the second last.

He surged past runner-up Southern Point some 75 yards out to score by three-quarters of a length while long-time leader Presenting Cody made a pleasing return to action by securing the minor honours, a further three lengths adrift.

Petite Mike, owned by Bartlemy-based operator Ahern’s near-neighbour Gerard Gubbins, could now return to hurdling duty.

OWNER/trainer John Nallen, who of course started off the previous afternoon’s bet365 Gold Cup winner Minella Cocooner in points as an autumn four-year-old in 2020, struck with newcomer Minella Juke (5/2 - 11/4 favourite) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Jukebox Jury-sired grey Minella Juke, a €31,000 foal purchase who is a half-brother to Paul Nicholls’ Grade 1-placed chaser Mr Mole, was always positioned quite close to the pace and he overtook fellow debutant De Temps En Temps with Johnny Barry in the closing stages to oblige by a half-length.

An early June foal, Minella Jury was due to be offered at this Thursday’s Goffs sale at Punchestown.

De Temps En Temps (W. J. O’Doherty): This son of Court Cave was always on the pace on his debut in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Beaten just a half-length into second spot, he certainly didn’t aid his cause by erring at the last and compensation should prove a mere formality.