IT was very much a day of firsts at last Sunday’s well-attended Golden Vale Foxhounds fixture at Turtulla with riders Robbie Clancy and Alan Harney both registering their initial successes in the saddle on the six-race card.

Sixmilebridge, Co Clare-native Clancy will hold particularly fond memories of the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden as Leading Babe (3/1 - 5/1), who for good measure he also trains and owns, also provided him with his initial victory as a handler.

Third at Quakerstown the previous week, the Leading Light-mare drew clear under Clancy swinging towards the home straight for the final time before showing sufficient reserves of stamina to repel the fast-finishing Missusmumagum by a neck.

“This mare was a bit free on me last week but settled lovely today and travelled everywhere. She could go for a winners’ race or back to the track next,” remarked a delighted Clancy.

Mighty Dancer

A hunter chase may well be in the offing for the Donnchadh Doyle-handled Er Dancer (7/1 - 8/1), who made a winning seasonal debut in the open lightweight to provide Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny pilot Alan Harney with his first winner.

Following the departure of favourite Its All Guesswork three from home, last season’s four-time scorer Er Dancer forged ahead from two out and pushed out by Harney, saw off the challenge of Templebredin by two and a half lengths to win in the Monbeg Syndicate colours.

Harney, who has been based with the winning handler for the last couple of years, commented: “That was mighty. It was my first time riding the horse today but he took me everywhere. Donnchadh and all the lads have been top-class with help and advice since I started with them.”

Swan’s Focus

Having ridden six winners inside the rails, Harry Swan was another amateur to get off the mark between the flags.

His grandfather Timmy Hyde’s Focus Point (5/1 - 7/1) blitzed his 10 rivals in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Assuming command on touching down at the fifth fence, the Robin Des Champs-sired gelding kept up a relentless tempo thereafter to account for Masked Crusader by 13 lengths and make his first start for the Johnny Berry yard a victorious one.

“Timmy ran this lad in a couple of bumpers in the spring due to Covid but this is more his game as he’s all of 17hh.

“He’ll be better again in time and would appreciate even softer ground,” reflected Tomhaggard, Co Wexford-based handler Berry.

TALLOW, Co Waterford-jockey James Hannon departed the meeting with a double which was initiated by the taking triumph of the sound-jumping Rockonsoph (4/1 - 3/1) in the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden.

Dominating from the drop of the starter’s flag, the Richard Morrissey-owned and trained daughter of Shirocco readily asserted in the home straight, ultimately returning four lengths to the good over Seán Doyle’s Roc Of Dundee.

Morrissey stated of the first produce of Fromthecloudsabove whom he saddled to win two points: “I needed a bit of luck with this mare as I lost her dam foaling back in April.

“I broke her myself as a two-year-old and she’s always been very easy to do anything with. She’ll hopefully be sold now.”

The concluding five-year-old and upwards maiden, which was confined to handlers who had registered 10 winners or less, saw Hannon bring up his brace aboard last month’s Kinsale-third Your Own Story (6/4 - 2/1 favourite).

With only nine fences jumped owing to a low-lying sun, the Garry Aherne-trained five-year-old moved through to tackle the front-running Godfatherofharlem on the approach to the bottom bend for the final time before lengthening well late on to oblige by five lengths from Cappajune Lady.

Aherne, who shares the Shantaram-gelding with his father-in-law John O’ Mahony, outlined: “This is a lovely horse. He’s been coming on nicely with each run and we’re delighted to get such a nice pot with him.

“He might go for a winners’ race or be sold now.”

THE 15-runner four-year-old geldings’ maiden saw local handler Edward O’Grady on the mark courtesy of the impressive Making Country (3/1), a horse who sported the winning trainer’s own colours.

Making all under Finny Maguire, the Shirocco-gelding had many of his rivals trailing in his wake from some way out on his way to a likeable six-length triumph over Irish Panther.

“This is a horse I’ve always had a high opinion of. I made the mistake of running him on bad ground in a listed bumper at Limerick in March but he showed his true worth today. I can see him developing into a lovely three-mile chaser,” stated O’Grady of his imposing bay who he acquired at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale for €18,000.

Horse to follow

Irish Panther (R. McCabe) This British-bred son of Lucarno, who hails from a German-family, travelled notably well throughout the younger maiden won by Making Country.

A similar contest appears well within his capabilities before he progresses to the track.