Irish Pointing Weekly
Review
by Declan Phelan
Week Four - Killeagh, Kilfeacle & Castletown
Geoghegan 21/1/2001
Once again there was 3 meets on Sunday, the milder weather certainly helped bring out the crowds despite the counter attraction of Istrabraq and co at Leopardstown.
I was at Killeagh 12 miles east of Cork city and regarded as one of the top pointing tracks in the country. As per usual at this venue there was a number of UK visitors, including Hen Knight and Terry Biddlecombe, scouting for stars of the future.
Killeagh
Left handed track. Excellent viewing, all 3 mile
races, with 16 fences, the first jumped 4 times, all others 3
times. They begin each race at the start of the
homestraight,jumping 2 fences in that homestraight, one either side
of the winning post and then turn left handed uphill to the
backstraight where they jump 2 fences on the climb, before winging
it downhill to the second last, which is on the side before they
turn for home and what is the last fence on the final circuit.
Going Good to Soft, the fastest this campaign on a beautiful day.
6 races ,no divides.
Race1--Confined Hunt Maiden
5+
A very weakly contested affair with a
poor turn out of 6 runners. The Robert Tyner debutant
Beauanarrow (6 Beau Sher) was the weak favourite
(4/6 to 5/4), and he had
little problem opening his account in the hands of Brendan O
Sullivan, taking up the lead approaching 2 out and in control when
his nearest pursuer Kilcas took a fatal fall at the last.
It would be difficult to grade the winner on
this performance as I would not hold out much future hope for the
remainder of the runners.
Race 2--Winners Of One
5+
10 runners. An interesting race featuring 3
maiden winners this season ( Aibitir(6), Noble Justice(5) and
Fightallthewayhome(6m) ) , taking on older more experienced
opponents.
Aibitir(6 Alphabetim) was the marginal 7/4 jolly
over Noble Justice( 5 Jurado) at 2/1.
Herewegobarney, Carrig House &
Noble
Justice set a strong pace
throughout in a truly run race. Approaching the second last Paul
Cashman committed on Noble Justice as Carrig House, Aibitir &
Pagermar gave chase. The 4 were covered by 4 lengths going to the
last, but decisively Noble Justice threw in a great jump here and
just managed to fend off the late surge of Pagermar. Carrig House
and Aibitir were not beaten that far in 3rd &
4th.
On the face of it this neck victory
over Pagermar doesn't make Noble Justice look special, but he was
the youngest horse in the race and in his 2 races this season he
has won in contrasting styles, quickening off a slow pace at
Dromahane and here winning having contributed to a strong pace
throughout. I think he needs more time to fill into his 17 hands
frame and can develop into a very serious horse. Trainer Liam
Cashman is undecided about his future, but suggested a hunter chase
may beckon. Aibitir was not happy on this surface and was off the
bridle early in play, he needs testing conditions, while the mare
Fightallthewayhome never looked likely and either found the race
coming too soon after last week or simply was not good
enough.
Race 3--Geldings Maiden 5
only (Powers Qualifier)
13 runners. This race has always been
competitive at this venue and this years renewal was no
different.
The marginal favourite was
Ballyhampshire Boy( Husyan) who was a 9/4 shot due
to his Dromahane 3rd to Noble Justice. Tom Costello ran 2, Creative
Time 10/1 shot and the more favoured Keep Smiling 3/1-5/2. There was also money for the Wexford challenger
from Denis Murphy's yard Nearly A Moose
5/1-3/1.
At the drop of the starters flag the newcomer
from the Padge Berry yard Nickaree( Over The
River) reared up and lost 50 lengths. Nearly A Moose (Supreme
Leader) & Keep Smiling (Broken Hearted) set a strong pace
followed closely on the first circuit by Kilmoney Prince(Muharib).
China Box ( Witness Box 1/2 brother to Gale Toi) jumped poorly and
was the first beaten, Nickaree got back into contention after his
poor start, but began to fade as the tempo increased athe 4th last.
At this stage Nearly A Moose and Keep Smiling were still locked in
combat but Ballyhampshire was closing in 3rd. Leaving the
backstraight on the downhill run to the second last the 3 grouped
up, and came to this trappy fence at pace, Ballyhampshire Boy
winged it but the other 2 were clumsy, giving the favourite a
healthy 4 length lead coming to the last, which he jumped well, but
Keep Smiling finished strongly and closed to within 1/2 length of
Ballyhampshire Boy at the line, with Nearly A Moose 5 lengths back
in third.
This is a race that is bound to throw up many
future winners.
Ballyhampshire Boy was given a cracking ride here by Paul Tobin and
once again franked the form of the earlier Dromahane qualifier. He
is a handy son of Husyan who may need time after 2 taxing runs, but
has a future possibly as a 2 and 1/2 mile handicapper when he has
less than 11 stone on his back.
Dermot Costello rode the runner up Keep Smiling
and he reckoned he would have won but for greenness. I tend to
agree with him and this son of Broken Hearted who had one run as a
4 year old looks the type to make his mark on the racetrack proper.
He should win next time out. The third home Nearly A Moose is a
fine strapping son of Supreme Leader who ran a little freely here
and may need time to develop both physically and
mentally.
A few others caught the eye in this race.
Nickaree despite his erratic start showed enough
to please his connections. Liam Cashman ran a Good Thyne 1/2
brother to Committed Schedule called Silken Thyne,
who looked a big weak sort in the parade ring, and got a nice
sweetening educational ride here. Held up at the rear he stayed on
through beaten horses to take a distant 4th. He may need another
race to get him fully tuned in. An Capall Dubh(Air
Display) and Alpha Eight(Alphabetim) also hinted
at ability.
Race 4--Open (no
penalties)
10 ran. Dual Hunter Chaser winner from
last year Gallant Glen was all the rage in the ring(2/1-4/5). His chief opponents were
fellow Costello runner You Know Best (6/1) and 2 Gerry Cully
runners Legal Storm (5/1) and Thertisforya(4/1).
Ex Tommy Stack bumper winner Blazing
Imperial(5/1) was the joker in the pack.
However in the race Blazing Imperial was always
trailing before Davy Russell pulled him up before 4 out. The 4
principles dominated, but Gallant Glen was always cantering before
cruising to an easy 8 length success for Tony Costello, with Legal
Storm getting the better of a 3 way battle for 2nd from You Know
Best(who ran in snatches) and Theretisforya.
The winner will not be going to Cheltenham as he
does not get the 3 mile 1 furlong trip, and will stick to Irish
Hunter Chases on the easier tracks.
Race 5--Gelding Maiden 6
only
15 ran. A wide open market with 3 horse
trading at around 5/2.One of them was King
Balthasar (Insan) a beaten favourite for Charlie Swan in a
Fairyhouse bumper (1/1/2000) and who subsequently was with Martin
Pipe, and is now with Tom Busteed. Said to be an erratic sort, he
proved it here, when ducking out through the wing of the second
fence. Another joint favourite was the Costello runner No
Stranger(grey Roselier) who also departed at half way
after being hampered. The third co favourite was the Pat Doyle
trained Oscar Performance(grey Roselier , 1/2 brother to Young Devereux). This Davy
Russell ridden newcomer was cantering when falling 4 out. The
upshot of the various demises of the favourites was that Ariann
Sound(Montelimar) and Splash And Dash(Arcane)
fought it out for the last 1/2 mile. Eoin O Grady got first run on
Splash And Dash, led by 5 lengths on the home turn and held the
rallying Ariann Sound by a length at the line.The
winner and second are relatively exposed, the former will have
difficulty adding to this success unless he improves while Ariann
Sound should find a small maiden. Of the others Oscar Performance
will no doubt visit the winners enclosure, but he is a little on
the small side which in the long term may tell against him on the
track proper.
Race 6--Mares Maiden 5
only.
13 ran. Talk To the
Missus( Executive Perk) was the clear 2/1 fav, 5/1
bar.
However she fell at the second completing a
miserable day for this seasons leading rider Davy Russell.
Approaching 3 out there were 4 left in contention, an improving
D'ygrande (Good Thyne),Threecrossmammies (Be My Native),River Grove
(Over The River) and Star Accord (Accordion). The latter jumped to
the front here and powered away for an comprehensive success, with
D'ygrande taking second. Star Accord, a
grey mare, benefited from a few runs last year, and may do well in
mares only events on the track. The runner up
D'ygrande will collect a similar event, as should
the 4th home the John Berry trained newcomer River
Grove.
Results
Race 1 Confined
Maiden
(1) Beauanarrow (B O Sullivan)
(2) Act
Fairly
(3) Shuil Americo
6 Ran
Race 2 Winners of
One
(1) Noble Justice (P Cashman)
(2)
Pagermar
(3) Carrig House
10 Ran
Race 3 Geldings Maiden 5
(Powers)
(1) Ballyhampshire Boy (P Tobin)
(2) Keep
Smiling
(3) Nearly A Moose
13 Ran
Race 4 Open (No
Pens)
(1) Gallant Glen
(2) Legal Storm
(3) You Know
Best
10 Ran
Race 5 Geldings Maiden 6
yr.
(1) Splash And Dash ( E O Grady)
(2) Ariann
Sound
(3) River Amora
15 Ran
Race 6 Mares Maiden 5
only.
(1) Star Accord
(2) D'ygrande
(3)
Threecrossmammies
13 Ran.
Castletown
Geoghegan
This popular Leinster venue normally
stages 2 late season events, but this January meeting was a new
departure, particularly as they raced in the opposite direction to
the normal left handed way. The right handed nature of this meeting
had 3 circuits with 15 fences, one in backstraight, 2 on the climb
across the top and 2 fences in the home straight. The going was
testing.
There were 6 races scheduled, but with 3 divides spectators got 9 races for their days entertainment.
Not surprisingly the 3 winners events were not divided.
The feature race of the day was the Open with Sheltering looking to book his ticket to Cheltenham. His opponents included the once decent Go Go Gallant and McIlhatton( Ted Walsh). However Philip Fenton enjoyed another uncontested lead on Sheltering and just as at Lisgoold he was never threatened by his pursuers with Go Go Gallant finishing a respectable 5 length second.
Significantly it was reported that Sheltering( 5/1 fav for the Foxhunters) will not run before Cheltenham, as he goes directly today(Monday) for a wind operation ( not his first), and it will be a race against time to get him ready for the Festival. So I would advise you hold off any ante post bets on Sheltering.
In the concluding Mares Open Aaron Strong gave the well exposed northern mare Double Impact (8 Doubletour) a positive ride to account for Rachel's Girl (8 Kings Ride). In all honestly it was a poor mares open.
In the opening winners of 3, the former Tony Martin trained Good Man Yourself (7 Good Thyne), now with N Nelson, was given a powerful ride by Denis Cullen to pip the George Stewart trained Ten Poundsworth (8 Orchestra) by a neck. The runner up is a likeable sort and can atone on his local circuit, with a Northern Hunter Chase within his capabilities. The winner who has had his problems in the past, may not be one to take a short price about in future engagements.
In the maidens on the card, the 5/6 geldings maiden was divided with the first division going to the Francis Flood trained Rip Kirby, a well exposed sort on the track, this one now goes for a winners race at Punchestown in a month. The second division was probably stronger, with 3 fighting it out approaching the 2nd last, but newcomers Notabadskin and Gothic Lord both fell leaving Colm Murphy to collect on Seamus Kennedy's debutant Merlo (6 Supreme Leader). The winner may have been lucky to collect but ran very green and is open to plenty of improvement.
Results
Race 1--Winners of
3
(1) Good Man Yourself (D Cullen)
(2) Ten
Poundsworth
Race 2--Geldings Maiden
5/6.
(1) Rip Kirby ( C Swords) Div
1
(1) Merlo ( C Murphy) Div 2
Race
3--Open
(1) Sheltering (P Fenton)
(2) Go Go
Gallant
(3) McIlhatton
Race 4--Mares Maiden
5+
(1) Rejmas ( C Swords) Div
1
(1) Tribal Warrior ( J Quinn) Div
2
Race 5--Geldings Maiden
7+
(1) Kiltaban ( JJ Dullea) Div
1
(1) Moscow Enterprise ( N Geraghty) Div
2
Race 6-- Mares Open
(1) Double Impact ( A Strong)
(2) Rachels Girl.
Kilfeacle
The Scarteen Hunt raced for the first
time at a new track at Kilfeacle, 7 miles from Cashel. This left
handed track with 15 fences, 5 per circuit with an uphill finish,
got the thumbs up from all concerned, and the going was good to
soft.
Champion pointing rider John T McNamara has been out of luck so far in 2001, but his fortunes changed for the better here with 3 winners.
He got off the mark for the year with Lisgoold runner up Cool Climate (8 Zaffaran) who won the opening confined maiden. J T quickly doubled his tally when Druids Glen collected the 5/6 geldings maiden with an impressive performance. This 5 year old son of Be My Native ( 1/2 brother to Maximus, winner recently at Folkestone) was crediting Enda Bolger with his first win of the campaign. Druids Glen looked a real chasing type when I saw him an his debut at Dromahane on 1/1/2001, where he fell 3 out, and he can make an impact on the track. Incidentally he was the third winner of the day to come out of that Dromahane Powers qualifier.
J T had ambitions of a quick treble on Prometteuse in the Mares Open, but J T's brother Aonghus had other ideas and he was in control aboard On The Mobile when the held Prometteuse fell at the last. On The Mobile (6 Spanish Place) had impressed when winning at Lisgoold 14 days ago, and is improving with every run, and will be a hard nut to crack in mares company this year.
J T McNamara completed his treble aboard Wap (5 Be My Native) clocking up a double for trainer Enda Bolger and another winner in the McManus colours. J T was ever impressed with this horse who won on his sole outing as a 4 year old. There's little doubt that Wap will be a chasing star of the future, and is unlikely to taste defeat between the flags.
Wap was completing a double in the McManus green and yellow colours, as earlier the Eddie O Grady trained Merry Minstrel got off the mark in the hands of Sam Curling. This hitherto disappointing 8 yr Black Minstrel 1/2 brother to Merry Gale won a poor affair, and will struggle if returned to the track.
Results
Race 1--Confined Maiden
5+
(1) Cool Climate ( J T
McNamara)
Race 2--Geldings Maiden
5/6.
(1) Druids Glen (J T
McNamara)
Race 3--Mares Open
(1) On The Mobile ( A
McNamara)
Race 4--Geldings
Maiden 7+
(1) Merry Minstrel (S Curling) Div
1
(2)
Abbey Road ( D Skehan) Div 2
Race 5--Winners of
2
(1) Wap (J T McNamara)
Race 6--Mares Maiden
5/6/7
(1) Millwood Dream (N Kelliher) Div 1
(2) Leaway (M
Cahill) Div 2
Next
Week
Sat 27/1/2001
Comber, County Down 12.00. 1st Northern meet of season.
Sun 28/1/2001
Dungarvan, County Waterford 12-30.
Ballon, County Carlow
12-30.
Nenagh, County Tipperary 12-30.