IRISH POINTING
WEEKLY REVIEW BY DECLAN PHELAN Week Eight - Knockanard,Clonmel and Punchestown (17/2/2002) |
Three
Sunday meetings this weekend, with big fields at Knockanard &
Punchestown, and a number of potential future stars on view. Knockanard The
opening race of the afternoon was a 5-year-old maiden, last year won by
Keen Leader. Its doubtful if anything of his calibre was on view in
this race, nonetheless a number of promising types emerged. Victory went
the way of the Tom Lombard ridden Executive
Ace (Ex Perk), which was prominent throughout, jumping
crisply, led 2 out and stayed on strongly from Silver
Birch (Clearly Bust). The latter led until the second
last, and looks a perfect type for UK middle distance races under rules.
Third home Foxey Dove (Bold Fox) never got to terms with the principals,
and John Berry's Oyster Shell (Be My Native) ran a
race suggesting imminent future victory taking 4th. In a strongly run
race others bound to improve for the run were debutants Arctic Charm
(Montelimar), Moslob (Black Monday), and Grey
Report (Roselier). Wayward Magic (Magical Strike) from the
Cashman camp showed enough to suggest that he can win on a easier
circuit. The
Mares Winner of 2 produced a cracking finish, with Killeagh winner Tell
Me See (6 Glacial Storm) (5/2) out pointing Appel Island (8 Duky)
in a driving finish. The winner will be heading for a mares bumper on the
track in the next few months, and looks up to scoring in that grade. Third
home Pretty Young Thing tried to make all and repeat last years win in
this race but was a spend force from the 2nd last. The fourth Misty
Native (7 Be My Native) (9/4 fav) did not enjoy the best of
passages, and looks certain to atone in the not too distant future. Star
Open horse Dans Your Man (1/2) made all, for a dominant
success in the days feature race. The Cashman team were talking afterwards
about having a crack at the Cheltenham Foxhunters. I advised them to give
the race a miss, as I feel the horse is very ponderous at the open ditches
on the track proper and tends to lose ground and become disappointed. I hope
for the horses sake that they listened to my advice. This race had a
certain novelty value as it featured the pointing debut of Arabian
Story (9 Sharrood) which was last seen finishing 6th in the 1997
Melbourne Cup. This high-class grey was held up out the back to get
the trip, but flew over the final half mile to finish a clear second,
without ever challenging the winner. I must say that Arabian Story jumped
like a stag, and the fences on the Knockanard circuit are some of the
biggest in the country. On this performance Arabian Story could possibly
be a well above average two-mile chaser, and as he is only nine, it may be
worth taking him down this route. The 6
year old & upwards geldings maiden was divided three ways. Division 1
was won by Summers Day (6 Roselier) (5/2) who
easily dismissed the challenge of his chief rival Aughmor River (7 Over
The River) (2/1). Summers Day, a compact grey, looked an out and out
stayer and was delivering on the promise his showed at Lisgoold in
January. Paul
Barber & Paul Nicholls had travelled over from England for the day,
primarily to see Barber's Whispering John (6 Grand
Plaisir) (4/7) run in Division 2. This runner up at Killeagh was always
struggling to go the pace, and had to settle for a well-beaten second
behind General Confusion (8 Invader General). The latter paid a big
compliment to his Killeagh conqueror Lissglassheen. Division
3 featured another odds on favourite in the shade of Dungarvan faller
Kirribilli (4/9), but he folded tamely at the 4th last. In one of the days
most competitive climaxes, James Sheehan demonstrated his strength in the saddle
forcing home newcomer Boys Don't Cry (7 Willie Joe) to claim Hogan's Pass
(8 Brush Aside) & and the promising Follow The Flow (6 Over
The River) on the run in. Coolnahilla (6 Roselier) caught the eye
running on to take 4th under tender handling. Favourite
backers having suffered a few setbacks got themselves off the ropes when Silken
Thyne (2/5) won the adjacent maiden, making all to
score by 6 lengths. This 6-year-old son of Good Thyne had finished
second to Keen Leader on this track last year, prior to finishing 4th in a bumper.
Silken Thyne will certainly win on the track. The
final race the 6 year and upwards mares maiden attracted 45 runners and
was divided 3 ways. Division 1 was won by the experienced mare
China Storm (9 Glacial Storm) who was too strong for the Cashman's mare Sunset
View (6 Good Thyne) (5/2 fav). Division
2 was the most competitive of the divides, in which a gamble on debutant Kilcowan
(6 Beau Sher, 1/2 sister to Alcapone) (8/1 to 5/2) came
unstuck, when she fell 3 out when bang in contention. This left the
favourite Cush Jewel (6 Ex Perk) (9/4) & Cherry Ride (7 Kings Ride)
(4/1) fighting it out on the climb for home. The seasons leading jockey
John Thomas McNamara then sat tight on Cush Jewel after she blundered at
the last and kept her up to her work to fend off Cherry Ride. Division
3 witnessed the third leg of the Paul Cashman treble when the favourite Chione
(6 Mandalus) (3/1) atoned for running out at Tallow last week
when leading all the way, eventually eased to win by 3 lengths. Horses
in red considered future
winners Knockanard-
2 & 3/4 circuits, 14 fences, right handed. Going Good to Soft, Good in
places. 2-Open 3-Mares
Winners Of Two 4A-Geldings
Maiden 6 Yrs+ ----Division 1 4B-Geldings
Maiden 6 Yrs+ ----Division 2 4C-Geldings
Maiden 6 Yrs+ ----Division 3 5-Adjacent
Hunts Maiden 5 Yrs+ 6A-Mares
Maiden 6 Yrs+ ----Division 1 6B-Mares
Maiden 6 Yrs+ ----Division 2 6C-Mares
Maiden 6 Yrs+ ----Division 3 Clonmel The
opening confined Tipperary hunt race has always been competitive and won
in the past by horses of the calibre of Boss Doyle. The latter was trained
to win his point here 6 years ago by Holycross trainer Pat Doyle, and once
again he supplied this year's winner in the shape of Manavite (7
Invited) who left some earlier poor efforts behind to coast to an unchallenged
success. However his passage was made considerably easier by the early
departure of the day's big gamble Freeby (5 Ex Perk) (6/1
to 6/4), who for the third time on the bounce this season came out second
best in an encounter with a fence. Pat
Doyle's Lord Who (5 Mr Lord)
sported similar unwanted credentials as Freeby, having fallen in his two
previous runs at Dungarvan & last week at Tallow. But this 1/1
favourite ran his rivals ragged in the 5 year old maiden to achieve a
distance victory, and a double for the Doyle yard. Lord Who is a name to
remember when he appears on the track proper. Remote third Barkel (5
Aaysaylad) showed some potential. Just
as impressive was newcomer Native Playboy (6
Be My Native) who looked a horse with huge potential when
collecting the 6-year-old geldings maiden. Always in contention,
Russell Ross kicked Native Playboy clear with a circuit to race and he
came home unchallenged. He may have beaten little of merit, but there was
no mistaking the authority of Native Playboy's success. Catherine's
Dream (6 Husyan) showed marked improvement from a tame effort at Tallow
last week to score a commanding victory in the 6-year-old mares maiden. But
the most dramatic race of the afternoon was the 5-year-old mares maiden.
Dishy (Jurado) was a distance clear and had the race in safe keeping
when she fell at the second last. Jockey Mark Cahill quickly remounted,
jumped the last without the aid of stirrups and still managed to steer
Dishy to a remarkable 15-length victory. Clonmel-2
& 1/2 circuits, 13 fences, right handed. Going Heavy. 2-Mares
Maiden 5 Year Old Only 3-Geldings
Maiden 5 Year Only 4-Geldings
Maiden 6 Year Only 5-Mares
Maiden 6 Years Only 6-Open Punchestown Kerry's
Cross (7 Phardante) (5/4) landed
the odds for favourite backers in the opening hunt event. This Gerry
Cusack trained mare a course and distance winner last year was never in
danger of defeat. The 1st
& 2nd Divisions of the Adjacent Hunts Maiden were won by horses with
solid track form, namely Cathy Harrison's Flash Flood (7 Comm Run)
& Martin Brassil's Liquor Merchant (7 Magical
Strike). In the 3rd Division Denis Reddan's Mister Pepper (6
Leading Counsel) looked sure to collect going to the last, but failed
to go through with his effort & presented the race to Grove
Nettle ( 7 Torus). A couple of note from these maidens were Lord
Rockfield (6 Mr Lord) & Handsome
Gigalow (5 Phardante) who should be capable of winning
maidens in their own right. Tony
Martin saddled the favourites in both divisions of the novice riders Open.
Martin's Butsy's Honour (7
Salluceva) an impressive winner last year at Ballon, was never sited
in Division 1 won by the well-exposed Kyle Lad. Hollybank
Buck, Tony Martin's former Eider Chase winner finished a never nearer
4th in the 2nd Division which was won with surprising ease by Hornblower
(7 Goldneyev). Fork
Lightning (6
Roselier) looked a horse with a big future in front of him when bolting up
in the 1st Division of the 6 Year Old Maiden. In this contest another Tony
Martin trained runner Millenium Tommie (6 Husyan) was
noted make strong late progress to peg 4th place. Cathal McCarthy's
Ballybay Demesne (6 Bob Back) had to work hard to win the 2nd Division. Cockney
Rainbow (5
Rainbows for Life) & hitherto luckless Eyelash (5 Supreme Leader)
collected the mares maidens. More Class (5 Phardante)
second to the latter shaped as a definite future winner. Punchestown-2
circuits,14 fences, right handed. Going Soft/Heavy. 2A-Adjacent
Hunt Maiden 5 Yrs+ ----Division 1 2B-Adjacent
Hunt Maiden 5 Yrs+ ----Division 2 2C-Adjacent
Hunt Maiden 5 Yrs+ ----Division 3 3A-Open
Novice Riders ----Division 1 3B-Open
Novice Riders ----Division 2 4A-Geldings
Maiden 6 Year Only ----Division 1 4B-Geldings
Maiden 6 Year Only ----Division 2 5A-Mares
Maiden 5/6 year Old Maiden ----Division 1 5B-Mares
Maiden 5/6 Years Old Maiden ----Division 2 6A-Geldings
Maiden 7 Year Old Only----Division 1 6B-Geldings
Maiden 7 Year Old Only-----Division 2 |