A BUMPER crowd, excellent atmosphere and beautiful sunshine made for a cracking day’s point-to-pointing as the Co Clare Hunt celebrated 25 years of staging their February fixture on the Linnane family lands in Bellharbour on Sunday last.

Fittingly, the fixture belonged to local rider Derek O’Connor as the Tubber-born pilot registered a four-timer with handler Sam Curling supplying three of his winners.

The pair combined for their initial success in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden as Vanderflier (2/1 - 6/4 joint-favourite) confirmed the promise of his excellent December runner-up effort in Boulta.

Sitting second as fancied first-timer Talk To The Boss went for his race after the second-last, the imposing Milan gelding found an extra gear late-on to run down Marie Harding’s inmate on the flat and score by an extending two lengths.

“This is a horse we think the world of. He’s still very raw but we think he could be very good,” confessed Curling who shares the bay with J.J. Bowe. “Derek felt he’ll have learned plenty from today and he’ll go to a sale now.”

Successful return

Curling and O’Connor were back in the winner’s enclosure half-an-hour later as The Great Unknown (4/6 - 1/2 favourite), owned by the winning handler’s mother Adelia Greer, made a successful return to points duty in the five-year-old and upwards mares maiden.

In a contest dominated by the prominently-ridden former Henry de Bromhead mare and runner-up Kilworth, the daughter of Walk In The Park showed a willing attitude to regain the initiative on the downhill run to the final fence and ultimately went on to triumph by two and a half lengths.

“That’s a lovely winner to get. We bought her back in December and she’s a mare that will give my mother plenty of fun, going forward. The mares’ maiden hunters chase in Cork over Easter will likely be her next target,” outlined Curling.

Four-timer

The Curling hat-trick and O’Connor four-timer was sealed in the concluding six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden as the Daniel Boland-owned Cosmic Blizzard (1/1 - 11/10) obliged on his fifth points start.

Never far off the pace-setting Roger Du Berlais and racing down the inner, the Arctic Cosmos-gelding cornered well to forge ahead after the second-last before seeing off the attentions of both Rebel Budz and latterly Drumcliff Bay to post a three-parts of a length victory.

“It’s been a great day and that was a nice performance. He’ll go for a winners’ race now and - as Daniel is a Kildare man - we are working back from the Bishopscourt Cup in Punchestown in May,” said Curling of Cosmic Blizzard who had finished a fine second to Go Frankie in Boulta in November.

SAM Curling’s fellow Co Tipperary-handler Pat Doyle saddled a pair of winners with the Holycross-native’s double kick-started by top open performer Lifetime Ambition (4/6 - 1/2 favourite) who opened his seasonal account in the open lightweight.

Reunited with Rob James for the first time since their success in a 2019 Lisronagh four-year-old maiden, the Roger O’Byrne and Linda Mulcahy-owned 10-year-old gave a superb display of fencing when making all the running to account for West Cork Wildway by a snug two lengths.

“His form from the autumn behind the likes of Willitgoahead and Pat Coyne looks rock solid. We feel he’s a better horse in the spring and he seemed to enjoy that nicer ground.

“He’ll continue in opens and we have the Foxhunters in Aintree in the back of our mind for him,” remarked Jack Doyle, son of the victorious handler.

Double up

Pat Doyle’s brace was brought-up in the following winners of one as Magic Sadler (2/1 - 5/2 co-favourite) recorded an easy victory under David Doyle.

Sporting the silks of Patrick Brogan, Magic Sadler, who had been an excellent second behind Milan Forth in a Clonmel maiden hunter chase last month, took over from an errant Longhouse Star at five out and later coasted clear in the home straight to dismiss the staying-on Revolut Ned by six lengths.

“He did that very nicely. He handled the ground well but we feel he’s equally - if not more - effective on softer ground,” stated Jack Doyle. “He’ll take in another winners’ race and might go for another maiden hunters chase then.”

DEREK O’Connor had earlier got his own and favourite-backers’ afternoon off to the best possible start when steering Bud Fox (4/5 - 1/1 favourite), whom he for good measure also handles, to victory in the four-year-old maiden.

Having been settled in midfield early, the Walk In The Park youngster was switched to the outer by his handler and rider after the penultimate obstacle.

Unleashing a striking turn of foot which saw him lead well before the final fence, the Margaret Bleahen-owned bay only needed to be kept up his work thereafter to outpoint market-rival Pierrot by two lengths.

“He’s a lovely horse who had been showing us that pace at home. We felt that ground and track would be to his liking and thankfully he put it all together.

“It’s great to get a winner for Margaret and Hugh [Bleahen] as that’s their first horse with me,” concluded O’Connor.

Talk To The Boss (Marie Harding): Well-supported into joint favouritism on his debut in the five-year-old geldings maiden, this chasing type by Milan posted a performance of some potential when just run out of it by the more experienced Vanderflier after the last.

A similar maiden should easily come his way en-route to track success.