The May Bank Holiday weekend has marked the return of older horses to the point-to-point fields with Saturday’s Tipperary Foxhunters fixture at Lisronagh playing host to the first open race in over four months.
That last open at Dromahane on December 20 had seen Er Dancer forced to settle for the runners-up spot behind the Sam Curling-trained Lite Duties on what was his first step into that grade, however he went one place better at the Co. Tipperary venue race went the way of Donnchadh Doyle’s Er Dancer when the in-form Pearse Rogan guided the French-bred to a two and a half-length success over Vinnies Nephue, with Curling’s Oneida back in third.
Saturday’s card also saw the older geldings’ maiden, which had attracted over 40 entries, having to be divided when 26 horses were declared.
Division one went the way of Ballygrifincottage for Eoin O’Brien and Marie Harding, who ran out ten-length winners in the colours of Cork-based owner Mary Turner over the Colin Bowe-trained and Toni Quail-ridden John Adams.
Division two also had a Cork connection when James Hannon completed a personal double by recording a two-length success on Constant Friday for owner-breeder John Palmer from Fethard.
Sunday’s Dromahane fixture featured the first winners’ race of the weekend where Hunter Chase regular Ajijic paid his first visit to the winner’s enclosure for the first time in three years when Mikey O’Connor guided Terence Leonard’s 12-year-old to a length and a half success over Kind Witness.
Meanwhile the 14-strong older geldings’ maiden on his Duhallow Kanturk card saw 20-year-old Robbie Jackson record his third success aboard the Paul Nicholls Mortlach, who had twice finished placed in bumpers during his spell in Britain.
The son of Yeats stepped up from his two pointing efforts for current connections at Tinahely and Kinsale to beat Elusive Exclusive by three lengths.
Monday’s card at Dawstown will feature a further open and older geldings’ maiden in addition to a mares winner-of-two race.
