West Waterford (F) at Boulta on Sunday 26th November.
The biggest field of the day in 16 runners lined up for Beeches Stud, Lismore & The Winners Enclosure, Conna four-year-old mares’ maiden and Thomas Feeney brought newcomer Danse Idol, owned and trained by John P O’Callaghan from Rathgormack in Co Waterford, from well off the pace to win going away at the finish. Danse Idol moved ever closer from the third last as long-time leader Siege Of Tobruk still held sway up front.
Danse Idol, who is a member of the second crop by the Bridge Stud stallion Dansant, is her sire’s first four-year-old winner and went second to Siege Of Tobruk coming to the final fence where she stormed to the front some 75 yards out to beat the pacesetter by two lengths. Feeney, whose teenage son Adam also rode in the race pulling up Cayola Bay, said: “She is a grand big mare that hadn’t a whole load of schooling done and she will improve a lot.”
Declan Queally partnered his first winner of the season when Martin Hassett’s The Conditional made a victorious return to action in the Kelkab Ltd & Dungans Daybreak, Tallow five-and-six-year-old geldings maiden. The Conditional, who gave ample indication of ability by finishing third to the smart Arch Dancer on his debut at Liscarroll last season, benefited from front-running tactics. He valiantly mastered fellow pacesetter Walk Waterford on the run to the final fence to oblige by a comprehensive eight lengths. “He’s a horse that was weak at the start of the year, “said Hassett of his wife Deirdre’s The Conditional. “He got the summer off and he has strengthened up a lot and Declan [Queally] gave him an absolute peach of a ride.
The absent Cormac Doyle, who was present at the Knockinroe fixture, sent out his second individual four-year-old maiden winner as March Is On was another to benefit from waiting tactics in the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Sales four-year-old geldings’ maiden. The Gold Well-sired March Is On, made steady progress with Jimmy O’Rourke from three out and he moved through to join issue with long-time leader Clondaw Anchor at the final fence. Although blundering here, March Is On still drew clear on the flat to beat Clondaw Anchor by a widening six lengths. The handler’s elder brother Donnchadh reported of the Monbeg Syndicate-owned bay: “He has come on a lot from Ballinaboola and he’s a horse that goes on this soft ground. He will now go to the sales.”
Rattle The Cage supplemented last season’s Durrow maiden victory by posting a virtual pillar-to-post success under his handler Dick Lalor’s daughter Liz in the OBriens Saddlery, Midleton, Goffs & Glenview Stud Winner of One. Rattle The Cage led until headed by favourite Crookesmoor after four out. The winning son of Mahler was back in front three out and he clearly had the measure of Crookesmoor when TJ Nagle’s charge unseated two out. Rattle the Cage then beat Special Princess, the only mare in the line-up, by 20 lengths and the victorious six-year-old will probably now go for another winners contest.
With the Lalor family landing the preceding winners race, there was yet another family success in the OBriens Saddlery, Midleton, David Allen Engineering & McDonnell Bros five-year-old-and-upwards mares’ maiden as 23-year-old Darragh Allen from Araglen returned to the coveted number one slot aboard his elder brother Sean’s Go Goonagainwest. Owned by Mrs Eileen O’Connor from Rathcormac, Go Goonagainwest bounced back from falling at the final fence in Lisronagh when out of contention in the race won by Defacto Lady last month by arriving from the off the pace to pick up the running two out. The winning daughter of Westerner then asserted from the final fence to dispose of promising newcomer Cloone Lady by three lengths.
“She wasn’t fully wound up when she fell on her comeback run at Lisronagh last month, “said handler Sean Allen, himself a former amateur. “We knew that she was spot on for today and I must chat with the owner before deciding where we go from here. “
18-year-old Lorcan Kavanagh from Co Laois certainly had an afternoon to savour for he rode his very first winner aboard pointing debutante Sea Beat in the ultra-competitive OBriens Saddlery, Midleton & Kenneally Steel Open. Sea Beat, a former 125-rated hurdler that was having an initial start for handler Alan Tobin, moved second behind long-time leader Two Rockers, who won this same race two years ago, on the run to the final fence and he took the measure of the front-runner some 50 yards out to score by three lengths. Sea Beat was providing Tobin with a winner from his very first runner from his new base at Croaghnacree outside Doneraile and the seven-year-old was purchased by Eoin ‘Poppy’ Mangan from former trainer Tim Vaughan earlier this year.
“The plan was that he would run here today before going for the novice riders’ open at Ballindenisk next Sunday, “said Tobin of Sea Beat, owned by the On The Boat Partnership from Tallow comprising of publican Paddy Martin and William Curley. “He will still hopefully run at Ballindenisk and the plan is to stay pointing for the season.”
STAR PERFORMANCE: Danse Idol got the better of a competitive 12-runner field in good style to suggest that she is a young mare going places.
VIDEOGRAPHER: IRIS
