POINT-to-pointing returned to Tyrella for the first time in two years last Saturday, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with small fields and fast ground being the order of the day.

The feature open lightweight contest saw a fascinating clash between Warren Ewing’s former American Grand National winner Brain Power (6/4 - 9/4), and Ger Quinn’s former 130-rated chaser Creadan Grae.

The pair strode clear from the rest of the field after the second last with Brain Power getting on top of Creadan Grae from before the last under a patient Oran McGill, and they went on to score by a cosy five lengths. It was a first success between the flags for the Warren Ewing-owned son of Kalanisi.

“The first day we ran him he finished second, and we thought we had him in great form but the horses got aspergillosis. We didn’t cop on for a while but that’s him back now. He’ll stay pointing now and we’ll try and knock a bit of fun out of him,” said Ewing.

Cheers to Pint

There was a dramatic conclusion to the five-year-old geldings’ maiden as the first past the post, Song For My Father, was disqualified following a stewards’ enquiry as his rider weighed in light.

That handed the contest to the second-placed horse, Time For A Pint (2/1 - 6/4 favourite), who was sent off the well-backed favourite.

The Shark Hanlon-trained and Tom Hamilton-ridden winner had finished third at Turtulla in a similar contest 13 days previously and he showed good improvement here to collect the prize after being given a confident ride by Hamilton. The David Moran and Rachel O’Neill-owned son of Ask was providing Hamilton with his fifth winner of the campaign, equalling his best ever, with half the season still to play out.

Famous success for consistent mare

THE opening five-year-old mares’ maiden saw the smallest field of the day with just four runners lining up and it quickly turned into a match race between the Paul Bannon-ridden Born Famous (7/4 - 2/1) and the Rob James’ mount Famous Function.

The pair turned for home locked together before the former slowly managed to gain the upper hand, running out a length-and-a-half winner.

It was a deserved success for the Claire O’Connell-trained daughter of Famous Name, who was having her sixth start between the flags.

“She’s consistent. The last day at Dromahane wasn’t her true running with the soft ground. She loved that good ground today and jumped really well,” said Bannon of the Paul O’Sullivan-owned winner.

Caoimhe O’Brien and So Ladylike (4/1 - 7/2) both shed their maiden tags at Tattersalls in October and the pair doubled their tally on Saturday when they scored in the winner-of-three contest.

Jordan Ratcliffe set strong fractions on the front-running Glebeparkhawk and they looked like they were going to collect as they still led at the last.

However, O’Brien produced the Ian Donoghue-trained winner to perfection as they got up close home to score by a length from the aforementioned Glebeparkhawk.

“That’s my second winner – I won on her at Tattersalls in the autumn as well! She was great today, she kept plugging away.

“I’m riding out for Gavin Cromwell and Ian Donoghue, and the plan is to stay pointing for the rest of the season,” said O’Brien of the Alana McGuinness-owned winner.

Impressive run by Tamlaght Eyes

THERE was a dramatic ending to the older mares’ maiden as the staying-on Value Till Dawn and Byron Tully ran out at the final fence. It’s unlikely that they would have caught the most impressive winner of the day, Tamlaght Eyes (5/2 - 3/1 joint-favourite).

The daughter of Doyen was having her first start for the Gerald Quinn team and she ran out an eased-down 15-length winner from the Ross O’Sullivan-trained Any Time.

The winner was carrying the colours of Paddy McBurney and was ridden by Noel McParlan, who said: “Fair play to Ger and Paddy who had her spot on for today. She loved that good ground.”

Charlie answers

The concluding older geldings’ maiden saw the biggest field of the day with eight runners facing the starter. It also produced a thrilling finish as Ask Charlie (4/1 - 5/1) and Butcher Barry turned for home locked together. Ask Charlie and Ben Harvey held a slight advantage when Butcher Barry unseated at the last. Ask Charlie ended up scoring by two lengths from the fast-finishing Kilmoganny and Tiernan Power.

The winner, who is trained by William Harvey, was only having his third start between the flags after failing to complete at Portrush and Fairyhouse.

“He’s a horse that we have just kept fresh and let him get himself fit,” said the winning rider of the Denis Reddan-owned winner. “I’d imagine he’ll go for a winners’ race or he could go to the track.”

Horse To Follow

Kilmoganny (H.D Dunne): The former English track performer was having his first start here for the Harley Dunne team and he showed plenty of promise as he stayed on well up the straight to take a fast-finishing second. He should have little difficulty in winning an older maiden, on a more galloping track, next time out.