THERE was local success at the Newry Harriers meeting at Taylorstown on Saturday as Co Down-based Mark O’Hare’s yard continues their rich vein of form.

Having only sent out seven runners this season from six individual horses, the victory of Smile Back (7/2 joint-favourite) in the four-year-old mares’ maiden was his third of the campaign, with the northern champion Noel McParlan carrying the colours of O’Hare’s wife, Sara, to success.

Known for producing the dual Champion Hurdle-winning mare Honeysuckle, O’Hare unveiled this debutante daughter of Workforce, who was still travelling with conviction tracking the front pair when they individually crashed out at the back of three out, handing her the advantage.

To her credit she took up the running and galloped resolutely to the line to beat Stylia by eight lengths.

“I’d a great spin on her, her jumping was savage everywhere,” McParlan said. “She was still travelling very well when the front pair fell and as a result was left in front. She felt very green coming down the hill but was honest, galloping right to the line, so she will improve plenty for this initial run.”

Local success

Further Co Down success came as the in-form Paddy Turley yard produced the recent Necarne maiden winner Myleno (4/5 - 11/4) to take the winners’ of three contest in facile fashion.

This son of Martaline tracked the leaders throughout and was produced under a well-judged ride by the inexperienced Darragh Hanlon to make a forward move four out, jumping on terms with the leaders. From that point this progressive seven-year-old was evidently in command and asserted well into the straight to overturn Colin Bowe-trained favourite Harrenhal (5/2 - 4/5 favourite) by 13 lengths.

“It is just an indescribable feeling that,” the winning rider said. “I thought the ground may have been too quick for him, but he just jumped so well again, he flew four out to get right on terms and I let him roll on from there and he did it well.

“He’s enjoying life and so am I. It’s great to get another one on the board on the back of my first success at Necarne and I must thank Paddy Turley and Decky [Lavery] for all the support and guidance they have given me.”

Debutante increases her value

The Champion handler Colin Bowe gained some compensation as he sent out another smart mare as Milestone Bloodstock’s first-timer Natus Vincere (6/4 - evens favourite) justified her position at the top of the market to win the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

This debutante daughter of No Risk At All cost €125,000 when bought by Henrietta Knight at the Goffs Land Rover sale in 2022.

She fenced with great professionalism throughout and progressed to take the lead before two out, asserting well into the straight she showed nice blend of speed and stamina.

The winning handler stated: “She’s a lovely filly, we always liked her at home. She jumped very well today.

“Maybe a little bit green coming down the hills so she’ll improve for the run. She will now be sold.”

THE Sean Doyle and Jamie Scallan combination enjoyed a double on the day which began when the Monbeg Partnership’s Orderoftheday (5/2 - 3/1 joint-favourite) stepped forward from his third-placed effort on debut at Dromahane to land the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The winner, a €35,000 foal purchase by Order Of St George, is out of a half-sister to Grade 2-winning Makounji.

He put in a tough performance, jumping with utmost fluency and staying on gamely to the line, in a thrilling finish to hold off first-timer and fellow joint-favourite Smokeringinthedark, who stuck to his task admirably to get within a head of the victor.

The second leg of this double came courtesy of Ronnie Rules (8/1 - 9/2), a son of Imperial Monarch who had fallen on debut at Tinahely when running a huge race behind the subsequent £130,000 seller.

He put this experience to great use as he made all the running, jumping and travelling well, he recorded a pillar to post victory as he fended off the challenge of Catalani to score by half-a-length at the line for owner Luke Andrews.

Winning rider Jamie Scallan stated: “We were unlucky the first day, he was going to run a cracker in Tinahely when coming down two out and probably going to come second to a good horse of Cormac’s [Doyle].

“I jumped off and got into a great rhythm in front and he toughed it out right to the line.”

WINGED Leader (1/4 favourite) proved himself a deserving champion point-to-pointer for the 2023/’24 point-to-point season as he landed the open contest in the colours of John Hegarty and Jennifer O’Kane, recording his ninth consecutive success of the campaign.

He set out in his usual front-running fashion under Barry O’Neill, who ensured a strong gallop was set, and the pair stamped their supremacy over their rivals by coming home seven-and-a-half lengths to the good over Gorthill.

“There’s not too many comments I can add to what hasn’t already been said about him, he is just a complete legend of the point-to-point game,” O’Neill commented.

“He just keeps turning up and performing, he’s one of the toughest horses I’ve ever rode. It is an unbelievable training performance from David [Christie] to keep the horse in that condition and form week-in week-out, he deserves a lot of praise for what he’s done with him.”

The victory also saw Winged Leader become his trainer’s winning-most point-to-pointer, surpassing the 21-time point winner Top Twig, and it doesn’t look like the ten-year-old is slowing down anytime soon.

Horse to Follow:

Smokeringinthedark (C. Bowe): Jumped well for most of the contest, however his jumping let him down when he needed it most. Despite these errors he stayed on gamely to the line to just be denied. He should put this experience to good use by effortlessly shedding his maiden tag in due course.