THE 2024/’25 season commenced with Saturday’s Mid-Antrim Harriers fixture at Toomebridge where the Ger Quinn-trained Shabalko D’Herm (15/8 favourite) lit up the fixture by destroying his opposition in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, which attracted the largest field of the day with seven runners.

A €36,000 Derby Sale purchase, this French-bred son of Balko justified favoritism as he cut out the majority of the running, and he caught the eye travelling ominously well throughout under Noel McParlan.

One of four newcomers in the field, he fenced with great professionalism in the colours of Philip McBurney and, when asked for his effort, he stamped his authority on proceedings as he quickened with conviction to seal a facile victory to score by five and a half lengths over Northanger Abbey in what was the fastest race of the day.

“His work at home is unbelievable, I always thought a lot of him and anyone that asked me about him I would have said I think he’s good enough to be a graded horse. He actually would have preferred and would have been seen to even better effect on a more galloping track, but he was ready to go and I was confident he would win today,” commented Quinn.

It only gets better

An already excellent afternoon got even better for last year’s northern champion McParlan, as he partnered a further two winners for the Caroline McCaldin stable.

Jim The Wolf (5/4 favourite) atoned for his misfortune at this venue in May when getting carried out whilst still in contention.

A €40,000 Arqana acquisition, the son of Joshua Tree is out of a half-sister to Gordon Elliott’s-former Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Felix Desjy.

He was always prominent throughout, picking up the running four out, from where the victorious grey powered clear into the straight, bravely attacking the final obstacle. He returned with four and a half lengths to spare over Milan Forth to secure the five-year-old geldings’ maiden in the colours of the handler’s father Wilson Dennison.

The second leg of the Dromara-based McCaldin’s double came in the final race of the afternoon in the colours of her husband Alan, as the form choice Hornet No Limit (1/1 favourite) sent favourite backers home happy.

The seven-year-old son of Kitkou overcame a 721-day absence to record a pillar-to-post victory and run out a four-length winner over Speedy Box in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

A delighted McCaldin stated: “I’m thrilled with both horses performance, Hornet No Limit will hopefully progress into winners’ company.

“Jim The Wolf will now be for sale. It’s great to get the season off to a good start.”

COLIN Bowe and Barry O’Neill are always a combination to be feared as last season’s champions teamed up to land the opening four-year-old mares’ contest with Auntie Lacey (7/2).

This daughter of Getaway was well beaten on her previous start at Castlelands last season, but she took a significant step forward here, tracking the eventual runner-up Clody Diamond for the majority of the contest.

She took up the running from two out and pressed on into the straight to win by a convincing two and a quarter lengths for Milestone Bloodstock Ltd.

This €18,000 Goffs acquisition is out of a half-sister to Grade 1-winning Conflated and seems to possess a nice mix of both speed and stamina.

Doubled up

O’Neill added to his opening day haul, in the three-runner winners-of-one contest, where his mount, the Tom Dreaper-trained Tech Talk (2/1), overturned the short-priced Cadoudal Saint.

A return to the point field reignited the spark for this Leon Tormey-owned nine-year-old whose sole previous victory came at this venue back in May 2023 when he shed his maiden tag.

He put on a spectacular display of jumping when it mattered on the final circuit, putting Cadoudal Saint under pressure to gain a two-length advantage into the straight.

He was rejoined on the approach to the final obstacle, but battled gamely to the line to win by a comfortable length and a quarter.

“He’s a lovely horse; a real cross-country horse,” Dreaper said. “He got a brilliant ride from Barry O’Neill and I’m delighted to get the season off to a good start.

“He will probably head to Lingstown or Knockanard next and back for the Ladies cup. He’s a real fun horse.”

SHE Is For Me Boys (9/4) made the journey from Wexford worthwhile for the Ellen Doyle stable as this debutante daughter of Clovis Du Berlais belied her inexperience, being the sole newcomer in the line-up, to land the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

The newcomer had a slight scare at the back of the first, but soon got into her rhythm, picking up the running from the third and never seeing another rival as she travelled and jumped with great professionalism.

The 17,000gns purchase quickened readily in the hands of Brian Dunleavy from the back of the last to fend off the challenge of the favourite Bayonetta by two lengths.

This was a very admirable performance particularly around a track that benefits from prior experience and the Baltimore Stables Syndicate-owned could again be seen in the pointing fields.

“She had a bit of a fright at the first but after that she jumped great,” James Doyle, brother of the winning handler, said. “It’s great for the yard to get off the mark early in the season. We haven’t made a definite plan for her yet but she might go to winners’ company.”

Horse to Follow

Cadoudal Saint (G. Quinn): He shed his maiden tag at Farmacaffley in February 2023, after which he had a stint with Willie Mullins. He has now returned to his original connections, and on his first start back with them, he ran a game race until a final-fence error ended his chance. This performance still suggests he should atone for this defeat in winners’ company.