Laois Foxhounds Stradbally Sunday \ Cian Cassidy

DESPITE only riding his first winner in March, Bertie Finn took his career tally to six courtesy of a double which was initiated when partnering the Peter Flood-trained Old Page (6/1) to victory in what was an incident packed five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

No fewer than five of the eight runners who set out came to grief during the contest, notably the James Walsh-ridden Raffles Wonder, who had taken up the running just after halfway. He had injected a considerable amount of pace into the contest and was still enjoying a two-length advantage when coming down three fences from home.

That left the son of Snow Sky with a one and a half-length advantage over Dannystory, who could not match him up the straight as Flood’s charge went on to record a four-length success at the second time of asking.

“We thought he’d run well in Fairyhouse on his debut, and he disappointed that day,” Flood said of the Nathan Scullion-owned gelding. “His work had been good, and we didn’t do too much with him since Fairyhouse. He jumps well and stays well, and he likes good ground. Hopefully he’ll go to a sale now.”

Winning Source

Finn was back in the winner’s enclosure 30 minutes later courtesy of the David O’Brien-owned and trained Good Source (5/1 - 6/1), who broke his maiden tag in good style in the winners of two.

The son of Shirocco always raced in the first half of the field under Finn and, having joined the leader approaching the third last, he put in a good jump at that obstacle which saw him hit the front.

The sole maiden in the line-up had established a three-length advantage over Eric Carmen on the run to the penultimate fence and he went on to see off that rival by four lengths at the line.

The delighted winning rider, who was recording his first career double and had been previously based with the absent O’Brien, indicated that the five-year-old is now likely to be sold.

THE concluding older geldings’ maiden for novice riders was not without its share of drama on what ended up an eventful afternoon. Five runners faced the starter but the field was swiftly reduced to four when The Inbetween planted himself at the start and refused to race.

That left the Denis Hogan-trained Ihavetogo (2/1) to make virtually all the running under Tom Harney. Despite being joined on two occasions, the Siobhan Hogan-owned son of Sagramor, who is the only horse by the sire to have run in the pointing sphere here, was never headed and kicked clear of the Robert Tector-trained Norman Abu early in the straight before going on to account for that rival by three lengths at the line.

“No one really wanted to go on early, and he has plenty of experience, so I went on in front and he was good. He just needed the odd tap down the shoulder to keep him concentrated,” Harney said of Ihavetogo who was sold for just £4,500 at the Goffs UK Spring Sale during the week.

Staples double

Sean Staples continued his fine season with a double that began aboard the Louise Lyons-trained Clatterbridge (5/2 - 3/1) in the adjacent hunts’ maiden.

In a dramatic affair, with the favourite Pocatello coming down at the first and the pace-setting Offaly Star running right off the track shortly after the halfway point, the son of Valirann was patiently ridden by Staples.

Having sat off the pace for much of the contest the five-year-old, who was bred by Lyons’ partner Nicholas Teehan, joined the Peter Flood-trained Le Mieux on the run to the penultimate fence and headed that rival on the run-in to win going away by three lengths.

“Sean (Staples) gave him a great ride, it’s his first ride for me and he came highly recommended. He seemed to love the nice ground, he takes after the dam in that sense, and he settled well and jumped well too,” said Kilmanagh-based Lyons, who has 12 horses in training.

SEAN Staples completed his double courtesy of Sean Doyle’s The Forge Hill (1/8 - 1/5 favourite) in the feature race of the afternoon, the mares’ open, which somewhat disappointingly only attracted two runners. The Mary Carpenter-owned, trained and ridden Golden Chance cut out most of running, in what was a steadily-run affair.

The Monbeg Partnership-owned mare went on under Staples before jumping the fifth last fence and she was upwards of 15 lengths clear of Golden Chance when that one was pulled up quickly entering the straight, leaving the daughter of Morozov to come home alone.

It was a seventh victory between the flags for the mare who is now likely to head to the track for the summer.

Milford’s luck turns

Ballingarry, Co Limerick-based trainer William O’Doherty, gained his first success of the season courtesy of Milfordfourthree (4/1 - 7/1) in the older mares’ maiden.

The experienced six-year-old, who was making her 10th appearance, was always to the fore under Ray Barron. The pair took up the running before the fourth last obstacle, before establishing a two-length advantage early in the home straight.

The daughter of Barely A Moment extended that advantage on the run between the final two fences to beat Natural Look by five lengths and in doing so made amends for her Rathcannon defeat.

“She was very unlucky in Rathcannon, she was three lengths in front, when slipping at the back of the last that day and I felt we had a good chance coming here today. Ground is key to her; she needs good ground. We’ll give her a break now and then run her over hurdles during the summer,” said O’Doherty of the Bridget O’Keeffe-owned mare.

Horse to Follow:

Raffles Wonder (D. Doyle): This son of Balko held the advantage and was still travelling well when cruelly exiting at the third last fence in the opener.