Boardsmill stud resident Court Cave has enjoyed a successful season between the flags and this continued last weekend when he enjoyed a double in the four-year-old maidens at Necarne and Bartlemy.
Desirable Court got the sire off the mark at Necarne when winning the four-year-old mares’ maiden. Trained by Jerry Cosgrave, the debutant was given a positive ride by Mark O’Hare as she jumping smartly throughout and quickened clear from the final fence to win by an easy eight lengths. Owned by her handler, the debutant was led out unsold for €9,500 at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland August sale. She is a first winner for her dam Desirable Rhythm, who won a bumper for Arthur Moore in 2006.
The second leg of the double for Court Cave was brought up by Invincible Cave who took the first division of the four-year-old maiden at Bartlemy. The Donnchadh Doyle-trained debutant dictated the pace at the head of affairs in the hands of Derek O’Connor before running out an impressive seven-length winner over Out For Justice.
Bought at last year’s Goffs UK spring sale for €15,000 by his handler, the winner was bred by Barbara Harding and is out of Bespoke Baby who is a half-sister to Katies Tuitor a listed and eight time winner for Charlie Mann.
(The Doyle team enjoyed a 1,2,3 in the first division of the 4yo maiden)
Westerner was another stallion to enjoy a double on Sunday which now leaves him with 24 winners and in third spot on the leading sires table. Ifyoucatchmenow took the four-year-old mares’ maiden at Bartlemy for the Denis Murphy yard. The Jamie Codd ridden-mare, who finished fourth on her debut at Monksgrange was patiently ridden before taking up the running approaching the last to score by two lengths.
Bought at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland August sale for €11,000, this progressive mare is out of Ifyoucouldseemenow who won a hurdle and chase for Michael Cunningham and is out of the talented Grade two winning mare Sallie’s Girl.
(Ifyoucatchmenow returns to delighted connections)
The consistent Pass The Ball provided Westerner with the concluding part of his double when he took the winners of two at Stradbally for the Niall Madden yard.
The eight-year-old has been a consistent sort for connections in points this spring and put in a decent run in the Bishopscourt cup at Punchestown when he finished third to Das Mooser. Like many winners at Stradbally on Sunday, the Neil Bashford-ridden led for most of the race and had the field stretched approaching the final mile where he went on to record an easy 18 lengths victory over Spuds Trouble.
(Neil Bashford enjoyed his second success aboard Pass The Ball)
Presenting is currently in fourth placed on the leading sires table with 23 winners following a double at Necarne on Saturday. The previous Pigeons winner, Presenting Princess took the mares’ winner of three for the Heather Kiernan yard. Following her fourth placed effort at Rathcannon last week, the game mare seemed to appreciate the softer ground conditions and posted a pillar to post victory in the hands of Aaron Murphy.
Out of a winning French mare in Take Ine, the six-year-old is a full sister to the recent Down Royal hunter’s chase winner, Camillas Wish whose grand dam is the seven-time listed hurdle winner Cadouline.
(Presenting Princess gave Heather Kiernan her third winner this season)
Presenting’s quick double came in the concluding race on the card when Clock In took the seven-year-old and upwards maiden by ten lengths over Hard Kocks.
The Jim Dreaper-owned and trained gelding had not run for three years where he finished sixth in a maiden hurdle at Killarney. A half-brother to Reigning Supreme, who was second at Maralin in 2015 before joining the Nicky Henderson yard where he has won two hurdle races, the seven-year-old was bought for €30,000 as a foal at the Tattersalls Ireland November sale.
(Clock In jumps the last in front with Jamie Codd aboard)
The consistent The Crazed Moon gained her due reward at Bartlemy in the five-year-old mares’ maiden for the Sam Curling yard to give Yeats the opening leg of his double at the Cork fixture.
An €18,500 Derby sale purchase in 2015, the Rob James-ridden winner followed up her second placed effort behind Ayleoola at Belclare to hold onto a one length victory over Dino’s Benefit having led from the half-way point. She is out of an unraced mare who is a half-sister to the grade one winner Remember Rose who won ten races in France.
(The Crazed Moon gained a deserved victory for the Sam Curling yard)
Yeats second winner of the day came in the following race on the card in the first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with The Ogle Gogle man.
The Pat Doyle-trained gelding was having his fifth start having finished third at Dromahane at the end of April. Having taken up the running at the second last fence, the Derek O’Connor-ridden gelding never looked like he would be passed and ran out a four length winner over De Name Evades Me. Owned and bred by Walter Connors, The Ogle Gogle Man is a half-brother to recent four-year-old Lisronagh maiden winner Everybody's Talkin who is out of Miss Otis Regrets, winner of a bumper on her only start for Eddie Hales.
(The Ogle Gogle Man continued a fine run of form for owner/breeder Walter Connors)
Golden Tornado recorded his third point-to-point winner this season when Allannah’s Gold won the confined maiden at Bartlemy to give Jamie Codd his third winner of the day.
The six-year-old gelding was his handler, Declan Queally’s seventeenth winner of the season which sees him with an impressive 51.5% strike rate for his runners this term. Benefiting from a confident ride from Codd, the Eileen O'Mahony-owned winner won with six lengths over Truckers Tangle. Bred by Mrs Ann Carty, Allannah’s Gold was sold for €3,000 at the 2014 August sale and is out of Princess Alannah who won a chase and two hurdles for Tom Nagle. Golden Tornado stands at Gurteen stud and his most notable winner is Bertie’s Dream, the 2010 winner of the Grade one Albert Bartlett hurdle at Cheltenham.
(Allannah's Gold got off the mark at Bartlemy on what was his 4th start)
Ballycurragh stud resident Alkaadhem enjoyed a winner at Necarne on Saturday with Alka Step in the six-year-old geldings’ maiden for the Walsh family.
Second at Lisronagh two weeks previous, the John Walsh-ridden gelding was disputing the lead at the last with Williamthesixth and kept on well on the run-in to score by a length. He was bred by Mrs Margaret Kinsella and is out of D’Bibbys Step who won a hurdle for Michael McCullagh.
(Alka Step held on to lose his maiden tag for the Walsh family)
Getaway secured his twelfth winner of the season when Hitman Fred took the second division of the four-year-old maiden at Bartlemy.
The Denis Murphy-trained winner was a notable one for his rider, Jamie Codd as it provided him with his 1000th combined winner of his career. Held up by Codd for most of the race, the debutant led before the last to run out a four length winner over Jan Maat in second. Out of a half-sister to the six-time track winner and fellow point-to-point graduate According To Trev, the winner was bought for €20,000 at last year’s Goffs Landrover sale.
(Hitman Fred provided Jamie Codd with his 1000th combined winner)
Rob James continued his fine run of form in the southern region this season when he won aboard Over Stated in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. The son of Shantou had put his previous three runs behind him to make the running in the eleven runner contest before being challenged briefly by The Road Home two out but quickened clear to score by eighteen lengths at the finish.
The Tom Keating-trained gelding was bought for €34,000 at the Derby sale in 2015 and is from the family of the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Carnival Town, a winner of a maiden hurdle and a beginner’s chase.
(Rob James secured his 20th winner in the southern region this season aboard Over Stated)
The Beeches stud resident sire, Mahler secured his 15th winner of the season when Gortnagirl took the five-year-old mares’ maiden at Necarne.
The Barry O’Neill-ridden winner gain a deserved success having been placed on three occasions this spring. Taking up the lead at the second last, the consistent mare extended her advantage on the long run to the last where she ran out a five length winner for her owner/ breeder combination of Patrick Hennessy. Out of the point-to-point winning mare Rebel Flyer, she is a half-sister to Troublesombrothers who won a maiden hurdle for Norman Lee last year.
(Gortna Girl was Barry O'Neill's 21st winner in the north this season)