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AS has often been the case at the Burrenside-venue, local-man Derek O’Connor was once again the toast of last Saturday’s Co Clare hunt meeting held at Quakerstown, when registering his first-ever double as a handler.
Providing young Ennis, Co Clare jockey Evan Nugent with a second career success, O’Connor completed his brace when Second Subaltern (4/1-5/1) attained his reward for some fine efforts in defeat this season when claiming the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.
Having led from the off, Nugent gave his mount the office after two out to see off the challenge of Goodbyemick and had enough in reserve thereafter to contain the staying-on Thethirstyfarrier by two and a half lengths.
“It’s been a special day. I’m blessed to have the staff I have and to give lads who work for me, like Evan, a winner is very satisfying. It’s as good as riding these winners myself,” reflected O’Connor, with his wife Carol’s charge now set to contest a winners’ race.
Love Bites back
O’Connor had earlier saddled the John O’Brien-owned Love Bite (6/4–1/1 favourite) to take the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden in fortuitous circumstances.
Paul Cawley adopted front-running tactics aboard last month’s Loughanmore runner-up Love Bite, but the John Neilan-trained Winter Orchid threw down a strong challenge from three out and Adam Ryan’s mount looked set for victory, when forging clear shortly before the final fence.
However, Winter Orchid ran out at that juncture and handed the initiative back to Love Bite, who returned 10 and half lengths clear of Areyouactually.
“We were lucky, but I’m delighted for Paul, who’s with me full-time. He’s one of the most reliable and hard-working people I’ve came across,” said O’Connor.
“She’s a very well-bred mare, being a half-sister to Might Bite and a full-sister to Beat That. She’ll probably go for a mares’ winners’ race now.”
HAVING taken the spoils in the corresponding contest at this venue last Easter, David Christie’s 2023/’24 champion pointer Winged Leader (4/9-1/2 favourite) oozed class in the ladies open to record his 12th consecutive victory.
Partnered, as he was last March, by Maxine O’Sullivan, the John Hegarty and Jennifer O’Kane-owned 10-year-old claimed the measure of Born By The Sea, sweeping into the home straight for the final time and duly powered clear to post a seven-length triumph.
“That was fantastic, it’s just a pleasure to ride him. We went a very good gallop, but between three out and two out, he really took off with me and you’d love the way he finished his race out,” remarked O’Sullivan of Winged Leader.
Real legend
The four-year-old geldings’ maiden saw a field of 11 face the starter and here Colin Bowe’s second-timer Suburban Legend (3/1-5/1) created a very favourable impression.
In a truly-run contest, the Barry O’Neill-ridden son of Harzand effortlessly hit the front at the second-last and, having been left further clear by the final fence exit of Let’s Get Cracking, accounted for Crossgales King by nine lengths in fine style.
“This is a very smart horse, who’s come on plenty for the summer’s break. Colin’s horses were sick when he ran last year, but he showed his true colours today and will be sold now,” said O’Neill of Suburban Legend, a €68,000 Derby Sale acquisition, who was atoning for pulling up on his debut in Castletown-Geoghegan last April.
CROSSGALES King’s connections of handler Benny Walsh and jockey Barry Stone won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, as Hickeys Hill (5/1-4/1) obliged on his second career start. Making all under Barry Stone, the sound-jumping Hillstar gelding had little difficulty in withstanding the persistent effort of runner-up Garrantemple over the latter stages of the final circuit and had four lengths to spare over Tom Keating’s newcomer at the line. “He didn’t enjoy the ground at all on his debut in Tyrella last season, but he really relished that good ground today,” commented winning owner, Jenny Walsh. “Barry did the right thing letting him stride-on and he jumped really well. We bought him as a store off his breeder Denis Hickey of Garryrichard Stud, who’s a good friend of ours, hence the name. Hopefully, the horse will be sold now.” Newcomer rules Proceedings at the North Clare track opened with a four-year-old mares’ maiden and here victory went the way of the only newcomer in the four-runner field, the Tom Keating-owned and trained Brooklyn Callin (2/1 - 4/1). Responding well to Adam Feeney’s urgings on the downhill run to the home straight, the daughter of Ocovango moved into a fractional lead from long-time leader Tricksofthetrade before the final fence and fared best on the flat to carry the day by half a length from the Frankie Murphy-ridden second. “This is a lovely mare that I bought from her breeder, Linda Twomey at the July Sale last year. “She jumped and galloped everywhere there and has a great attitude. She’ll come forward from that again and will head on to a sale now,” stated Keating. Horse to follow GARRANTREMPLE (T. Keating): This Milan-sired newcomer ran a promising race to chase home Hickeys Hill in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. A €32,000 graduate of the 2022 Goffs Land Rover Sale, and a sibling of no less than four track winners, the bay stuck to his task notably well in the latter stages and can step forward from this to open his account in due course.
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