THERE was a fabulous atmosphere at Sunday’s 50th anniversary of the Doneraile Harriers meeting which took place at Dromahane and Fermoy-based handler Shane Fenton sent out a winner with what was his very first runner when Stuckio cruised home in the ultra-competitive five-year-old maiden.

On a lovely sunny afternoon that witnessed some 82 runners on the seven-race card, Stuckio (5/1 - 7/1) was held up in mid-division and he still had some eight horses in front of him after the fourth last of the 14 fences.

The November debut fourth Jorobel made his way to the front from three out and he was closely attended to by Wiseman Said approaching the second last. Stuckio however was making smooth progress all time and moved second behind Jorobel for Eoin O’Brien after this penultimate obstacle.

While none too clever at the last, Stuckio was still the faster away from the final fence and readily scorched clear on the flat to dismiss Jorobel by three and a half lengths in the style of a horse that we will be hearing a lot more about.

The Diamond Boy-sired Stuckio is owned and bred by Fenton’s cousin John Bermingham, who works in Waterford city.

Own-sister

Fenton remarked of Stuckio, whose dam is an own-sister to Oh Me Oh My that was placed second in a €50,000 Grade 2 mares’ novice chase at Limerick in 2019 when trained by Margaret Flynn for the aforementioned Bermingham: “We’ve always thought a lot of this horse and Eoin [O’Brien] has done all of the work with him. We might go for a bumper with him.”

Paul Pierce is experiencing a fine season and the Camross-based operator combined with Sean Staples to record a two-timer, the pair opening their account with newcomer Fireball Frenzy (6/1 -8/1) in the four-year-old mares’ maiden.

The Kingston Hill-sired Fireball Frenzy was always positioned in close proximity to the leaders in this 10-runner contest and it was Funny Hunny that still held the call from Clody Diamond after the second last. Fireball Frenzy though was edging ever closer the whole time and she assumed command over 50 yards out to beat the February Lisronagh debut third Funny Hunny by a length with a three-quarters of a length break back to the third-placed Society Soldier.

Gone quicker

“We’ve loved her from day one and it would have better for her if they had gone quicker early on. She will probably now go to a sale,” said Pierce’s brother Andy of Fireball Frenzy, a sister to three track winners out of a half-sister to French Grade 1-winning hurdles mare Magenta Royale that was bought for €31,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland July sale.

Dalston Lad (4/1 - 6/1), yet another newcomer and likewise representing the Blackhall Stables Partnership, completed the Pierce/Staples brace in the second division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Daltson Lad, a son of Ocovango that was purchased for €15,500 as a foal, jumped past Knight Templar into the lead at the second last.

It was all relatively plain sailing for the close relation to Strong Platinum thereafter as he swept clear to contain the Durrow debut third Passing Pleasure by six lengths.

Forgive Confession’s awkward moment

OWNER/trainer Michael Ryan, who has seven horses in harness at his Colligan base, struck with newcomer Full Confession (4/1 - 6/1) in the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Patiently-ridden by Ray Barron, Full Confession made smooth progress from three out and the son of Kingston Hill survived a somewhat awkward moment at the second last to storm to the front in the closing stages to eclipse fellow newcomer On Deadly Ground by a head.

Global Submission, yet another first-time, posted an effort rich in promise by returning a further half-length adrift in third.

Ryan was saddling an initial runner of the season, and he divulged of the close relation to a former Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Adjareli: “I bought this horse privately last summer and he has always shown a lot. He’ll now go to a sale.”

The 22-year-old Alice Power from Kilrossanty, having recorded her very first career success aboard Thedancingfarrier in a Cork handicap hurdle last month, partnered an initial points winner aboard her mother Helen Power’s veteran Dr Robin (7/1 - 10/1) in the novice riders’ open.

The Paul Kiely-trained Dr Robin, a former nine-time track winner in Britain when trained by Peter Bowen, vindicated the promise of this third-placed effort behind The West’s Awake at Lisronagh in February by hitting the front on the inner just after four out.

While challenged by a couple of rivals in the home straight, Dr Robin wasn’t for passing and the 14-year-old duly defeated Midnight Maestro by one and a half lengths.

JIM O’Neill experienced a terrific weekend, as having saddled an initial career winner in El Cairos at Curraghmore the previous afternoon, the Ballindaggin-based owner/trainer was on the mark with Jamesieconn (7/1 - 10/1) in the five-year-old and upwards maiden.

The race came with a generous bonus of €1,500 to the winning owner from the INHSC and which was restricted to handlers’ that hadn’t previously trained more than 10 winners.

The previously once-raced Jamesieconn made most of the running in this somewhat grief-stricken contest and, while jumping right-handed at the last, the winning five-year-old still pulled out plenty for Jamie Scallan to withstand Damma House runner-up Ailt An Chorainn by a length.

Robert Tyner and Derek O’Connor are always a combination to be feared and the combination teamed up to collect the six-year-old and maiden with the mare Wyoming Baby (4/1 - 3/1 favourite), much to the dismay of the 17 bookmakers present, who admittedly enjoyed by far the better of the exchanges throughout the day.

Wyoming Baby was put to sleep towards the rear of the 16-runner field, but she made smooth progress on the outer from three out and swept to the front 50 yards out deny dead-heaters’ Sheephaven Flyer and Keeptheoldmanout by a half-length.

It’s possible that Wyoming Baby, owned by Angela and Gemma Kelleher in partnership with Lorna Busteed, could go on to now contest next month’s mares’ point-to-point bumper to be run at Tipperary.

Global Submission (T. Keating): A son of Telescope, this newcomer led from after four out until headed in the region of 75 yards out in the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Duly beaten a little over a half-length into third spot, he should develop into a smart racecourse performer next season.