Ballingarry hosts season-ending meeting

The 2023/24 point-to-point season came to a close last weekend, with the two-day Ormond Foxhounds fixture on Saturday and Sunday proving a resounding success.

Report: Michael Duggan

The Cahalan clan hosted some terrific action over both days on their farm at Southpark, Ballingarry, where top-class fare kept the enthusiastic attendees enthralled. Good crowds turned up both afternoons and were welcomed with open arms by the host family- led by the genial Morgan Cahalan - who are terrific supporters of racing between the flags.

As always, the track was in superb shape with the recent rain leaving the terrain in perfect order for the 14 races that took place over the weekend.

Saturday

Honours on the opening afternoon went to Wexford trainer Colin Bowe who saddled three winners.

The Enniscorthy native started off his afternoon in the Premier County in the best possible fashion as his impressive newcomer The Great Nudie (4/1) turned in an excellent display to land the opening four-year-old mares' maiden.

Racing in the colours of Monaghan owner Leo McArdle, this daughter of Wings Of Eagles went to the head of affairs after two out under jockey Bertie Finn.

In control off the home turn, Finn’s mount pulled further and further clear to beat runner-up She’s All Pride by eighteen lengths.

“That is one my best winners of the season,” said the victorious trainer.

“She is a smashing mare and I’m delighted to give Bertie (Finn) a winner. He’s a very good rider. Andrew Doyle-pre-trained her and she hasn’t been with me all that long.

“It was exciting the way she won, and I’d say she is well above average. We’ll take her home now and see what direction we’ll go with her. She has a big future anyway, that’s for sure.”

Winner number two for the Bowe-Finn combination came in the second-division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden where Stuntman Steve (6/1) came out on top.

Unplaced on his five previous point-to-point starts, this son of Getaway overhauled long-time leader City Slippers in the closing stages to beat that Susie Doyle-ridden rival by two lengths.

“Stuntman Steve is a much better horse than his form figures were showing,” revealed the winning trainer.

“He has been a shade unlucky up to now and we always felt he was capable of winning a race. Bertie was good on him. He battled it out well and went to the line strongly. We’ll try and find a new home for him now.”

In-form Bowe completed his treble in the concluding winners’ race for novice riders where 9/2 shot Haggard scored under a strong drive from Sophie Carter.

The winner and eventual runner-up Manlikemike had a good tussle over the final three fences, with Ms Carter’s mount pulling out more off the home turn when surging clear to record a twelve-length win.

Bowe said: “This horse is a miller to jump. Eoin Staples was due to ride him, but he got injured earlier in the day and Sophie stepped in.

“I’m sorry for Eoin but delighted for Sophie. She is a great girl to work and is a big part of our yard. I’ve had a brilliant day; I’d say it’s my first treble of what has been an up-and-down kind of year.”

Shane Cotter may have had to settle for the runner-up spot aboard Manlikemike in the finale, but the East Cork rider didn’t leave the venue empty-handed having earlier taken the first-division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden aboard Roaring Conquest.

Owned and trained in Wexford by Denis Murphy, this 4/1 shot set sail for home after two out and quickly sealed the deal when pulling away to beat Aidan Fitzgerald’s Monsieur Le Buzz by a dozen lengths.

Berniece Murphy - a sister of the victorious trainer - divulged: “We always felt this lad was a nice horse and he’s improving away all the time. He was impressive today and is for sale now. It was great for Shane to get the winner as that puts him one ahead of Dara McGill (14-13) in the under-21 Riders title race. That was important too.”

The Hyde family from Cashel are well-known in pointing circles and they visited the number-one berth following the victory of 4/5 favourite Focus Point in the open lightweight.

Sent to the front from the drop of the flag by Dan Hyde, Focus Point saw off all comers when staying on strongly in the latter end of the race to deny Enda Bolger’s Midnight Maestro by three-and-a-half-lengths.

The winner carries the silks of Trish Hyde and is trained by her son Timmy Hyde junior. Amongst three generations of The Hyde family, Timmy Hyde senior remarked: “You have to catch this horse on a good day, and I knew after a mile this afternoon he was on song. Jumping is his forte and Dan gave him an excellent ride.

“We’ll see how he is on Monday. He might go for the Hunter’s Chase in Listowel next weekend. He has been busy, and a lot will depend on how much today has taken out of him.”

South Dublin trainer Bill Durkan has a long and successful record as a trainer and his representative in the five-year-old mares’ maiden, Awkward Silence, did the business under a good ride from Limerick jockey Patrick Gleeson.

Having just her second career start, this 7/1 chance by Soldier Of Fortune dug deep from the final fence to beat Mick Goff’s Mandalay Maggie by a length.

Gary Gannon - assistant trainer to Durkan at his Stepaside stables - divulged: “This mare was unlucky first time out in Toomebridge where she put her foot in a hole and had to be pulled up.

“We thought she’d win today as she is a very nice mare. Patrick gave her a smashing ride and he was impressed. We bought her at the Goffs 2022 June Sale. She’ll be sold now.”

Wexford trainer Garrett Murphy has had a good season and he was among the winners when his 7/2 shot To The Wire took the spoils in the four-year-old auction maiden.

Fourth in a similar event in Stradbally seven days earlier, this Barry Stone-ridden son of Mahler built on that promising effort when going to the front after two out enroute to a two-and-a-half-length victory over runner-up Rouban.

“This horse ran well last week, he just blew up and I knew he’d come on for that,” said the Duncormick-based winning handler.

“He’s a horse we’ve always liked. He runs for the Turbine Syndicate which is headed by Francis Whelan. This fella will be sold now.”

Sunday

Local rider Adam Ryan was the toast of punters on the final afternoon as the Killenaule native bagged two winners.

Ryan - who is a nephew of top trainer Andy Slattery - paid his first visit of the afternoon to the sought-after number-one spot as his mount My Friend Yeats (11/2) did the business in the six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Trained in Galway by John Neilan, this home-bred son of Yeats who carries the silks of his breeder Michael Ward, wasn’t found wanting at the business end when keeping on gamely to deny runner-up Sir Ollie by two-and-a-half-lengths.

“He’s a real fun horse and I’m thrilled his owner is here today to see him win today,” said the victorious trainer.

“Adam gave him a beautiful ride, he’s a very good jockey. We’ll keep this horse going for the summer now. Galway could be on his agenda.”

Ryan brought up his double half-an-hour later when guiding Sky Luna to victory in the mares’ winners’ race.

Owned and trained by Patrick Morrissey at his Ballycahill, Thurles stables, Sky Luna, who was sent off at odds of 4/1, had her task eased when 4/5 favourite Regards to Rose ran out at the final fence - carrying out Neat Locality in the process - leaving the seven-year-old clear to beat only other finisher Sarah Jane by over sixty lengths.

“I’m absolutely delighted. That is my first winner and I’m learning all the time,” said Cahill.

“This mare ran a brilliant race last week when beaten a neck in Stradbally, so we said we’d let her take her chance again today. She was in good form during the week and the bit of nicer ground here was a huge help to her.”

Wexford jockey Barry Stone also rode two winners on what was a damp afternoon. He was seen to good effect when teaming up with Waterford trainer Paul Power to claim the opening four-year-old maiden aboard the impressive 9/2 chance Cocovic.

This Ocovango-sired youngster, who finished fourth at Loughrea 14 days earlier, stepped forward from that debut effort when powering clear to beat runner-up Top Guy by nine lengths.

Winning trainer Power divulged: “My father bought this horse as a foal, and we have always liked him. The going was a tad gluey for him in Loughrea and we were confident the nicer ground here today would suit him better.

“We knew he had improved from his initial outing and fancied him on that basis. If he’s not sold after today, we’ll go for a bumper with him. He’s a very nice horse.”

Stone was back in the winners’ circle following the next race where he partnered 7/2 chance Eager Eyes to victory in the six-year-old mares’ maiden.

Trained in Wexford by Mark Scallan for owner Shane Roche, this mare by Leading Light really stuck her neck out from the final fence to fend off the determined challenge of David Kiely’s Feet On The Ground by two lengths.

Owner Roche, who works for winning trainer Scallan, disclosed: “We are delighted with that. This mare has a good pedigree and was hampered by a loose horse when sixth in Stradbally last week. The better ground here made a huge difference and Barry was very good on her.”

Eight faced the starter in the open lightweight for Lady Riders with victory going to the Joanne Corish-ridden sprightly 11-year-old 9/2 shot Diese Des Bieffes.

Held up in the early stages, this Cormac Doyle-trained grey son of Martaline came with a perfectly timed effort when forging clear in the run to the final fence enroute to a clear-cut seven-length success over Colin Bowe’s El Paso Wood.

Corish was riding her second career winner and has been working with Doyle for the past three years.

She stated: “We left off the cheek-pieces today and he travelled really positively. It seemed to rejuvenate him, and the better ground made a huge difference to him too.”

Monard owner-trainer Patrick Ryan was on the mark on the first division of the concluding seven-year-old and upwards maiden where his 9/4 chance Coffeys Forge did the business under Waterford jockey Adam Feeney.

This eight-year-old son of Yeats made no mistake in this 11-runner contest when making all the running to beat Dusty Sheehy’s A Nice Malbec by an emphatic fourteen lengths.

Ryan said: “I thought this horse could have won a few times over his last couple of runs, he’s been unlucky up to now to be honest.

“He is a grand, fun horse and he was fifth over hurdles on the track last season so that’s probably where we’ll go to now with him.”

The second heat of this event proved a memorable occasion for 19-year-old Conor Bowman from Dunderry, Co. Meath who recorded the first winner of his career aboard the Cian Collins-trained Calahill.

Racing in the silks of his owner-breeder Liam O’Farrell, Calahill (9/2) had to pull out all the stops in the final stages when seeing off the efforts of runner-up Dun Ar Aill by a head.

“I’m delighted for Conor who has been working for me for the last three years. It’s brilliant to see him ride his first winner,” reported Robinstown, Meath-based Collins.

“This horse will run away in amateur races on the track during the summer. It’ll be a great chance for Conor to get more experience in the saddle.”