Report | Oldtown 10th February 2019

Evan Dwan enjoyed a day to remember at Oldtown when riding his first double and bringing his season’s tally to four winners.

The Tipperary native got off the mark in the opening Goffs four-year-old maiden aboard the Pat Doyle-trained Slip Road.

The son of Shantou passed the post just a head in front of the eventual runner-up Bold Assassin, following a protracted battle from the penultimate obstacle.

The successful Mary Doyle-owned gelding, cost €95,000 at last summer’s Land Rover sale having been consigned by Galberstown Stud.

Shannie Doyle, daughter of the winning handler, indicated that the grey gelding would likely be aimed at a four-year-old bumper, with an upcoming race at Limerick having been identified.

Perpignan turned out quickly having been successful at Bellharbour seven days previously, to take the Devenish Nutrition winner of two, bringing up the double for Dwan.

Having been given a patient ride, the seven-year-old stayed on gamely in the closing stages to record a facile 12-length success over Getaman.

The son of Robin Des Champs has now recorded three wins from four runs between the flags and his owner/trainer Eddie Power said: “He won easily last week and came out of the race very well. He went out in the field the next morning bucking and squealing so I said I may run him again. He is a good horse with plenty of ability and I might try a hunter chase with him now.”

Following a brace of seconds, Jamie Codd got off the mark for the afternoon in the concluding Considine Family six-year-old geldings’ maiden, a race which saw a host of horses still in contention jumping the penultimate obstacle owing to the slow early gallop.

The Denis Murphy-trained Mytermsoryours had made much of the running under Codd and found plenty for pressure on the run to the line, to see off the strong challenge of the previously placed Bronco Bill.

Getting off the mark at the fourth time of asking, the six-year-old had run some games races in defeat as a four-year-old and Murphy’s representative Tom Cloke said: “He will be kept in the yard, and we are going to have a horse for winners’ races. He was just late coming back in last year and the ground had turned before we could run him as he ideally wants a bit of soft ground.”

Patrick Turley got off the mark for the season when saddling Tareeshar to take the Underwriting Exchange five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The son of Morozov was getting off the mark at the second time of asking for owner Paddy Madine, having finished a fine second on his debut at Kirkistown in the autumn.

The bay came out on top under Declan Lavery in what was one of the closest finishes of the day, as the front trio flashed passed the post together, with Goodoldtimes taking second, with a further neck back to Willie Butler in third.

“At home he is not a horse that would set the world alight, but any time you bring him away to the track he is like a completely different horse. We will talk to the owners now and see whether he will be sold.”

Veteran rider Gerry Spain is having a fantastic time with Some Are Lucky this season, as the pair made it three wins from four starts this term when taking the Gannons City Recovery open for novice riders.

The former Tom George inmate won twice in the autumn before he finished a fine third at Boulta back in January.

The now eight-year-old confirmed his game attitude to see off All Hell Let Loose of this occasion, getting up on the run to the line to win by a length-and-a-half.

Handler Sam Curling was absent, but the winning rider said: “I knew after the last day when he came up against Arctic Skipper that he would come on for the run, as we were after giving him a break. He keeps pulling it out and that was brilliant there. We might look for a hunter chase somewhere along the line.”

The Lougher Stables & ITBA five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden saw local handler Dermot McLoughlin saddle the first two home, as Lady Breffni recorded a comprehensive 14 length defeat of her stable companion Trickey Trix.

The successful daughter of Yeats was making her debut here and having been given a patient ride by Noel McParlan, the mare eased clear in the closing stages to record an impressive success in the colours of Patrick Sheridan.

“We thought she was a nice mare but we hadn’t been able to get her onto grass because the winter has been so dry, so we thought that she would have been green. But she did that well and is going to improve. She might go for a winners’ race and then probably a bumper,” said Colm Hand, representing McLoughlin who was racing at Punchestown.