Ourmanmassini, the leading point-to-pointer from last season, secured his first win of the new term when he scored in the I.T.M Series Ladies Open for the Peter Flood yard.
Behind the leaders throughout, the Donal Finnan-owned gelding was strongly pressed by the former Grade 1 winner Gilgamboa on the run-in but managed to hold onto the victory by a head at the finish to supply Jody Townend with her first winner this season.
Flood reported; “I am delighted to have gotten him right after his fall at Tinahely. It really knocked his confidence and he was proper sore after it. Jody was absolutely brilliant on him, she did everything as discussed and she was so strong in the finish. It was Davy Condon who recommended her as she is his first cousin. We haven’t been as lucky ground wise this season with all the rain so it’s great to get that win into him”.
The in-form Peter Flood had earlier enjoyed success with Le Braye in the Whitehall Stud five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Returning from a spell on the track, the son of Court Cave was given a patient ride by Declan Lavery where he went onto lead from the penultimate fence before securing a four length win over Longtide.
A delighted Flood commented “He was really good today, his jumping was savage. We were a little worried about the ground but he appeared to really enjoy it. Declan was really good on him, he gave him a lovely ride. We bought him last year at the Goffs UK Doncaster to have a bit of fun with him. He is owned by my mother Teresa and she loves her point to pointing so he will go for a winner’s race next.”
The opening race on the card, the Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old maiden attracted the large entry of 45 which resulted in two divisions. The Colin Bowe-trained Straight Red took the opening division under Barry O’Neill on his debut for the Milestone Racing Partnership.
A €50,000 purchase from the Goffs Landrover sale, the son of Westerner lead from the second fence and was never headed throughout the remainder of the race where he ran out a three length success over Geordielandgangsta.
“He has a huge engine, Barry couldn’t get over how well he was travelling. He won with any amount in hand, he looks like a very special horse. I am delighted for his owner Jim O’Neill who is a brother of Barry’s”, commented Bowe.
The second division went the way of the Tom-Keating-trained Global Jackpot on his second start to date. The son of Flying Legend tracked leaders throughout before taking up the lead approaching the straight to win by three quarters of a length over High Sparrow in the hands of Liam Quinlan.
“He is a really nice horse who did it well today. We really fancied him last as all his work had been good but for whatever reason he just didn’t show it when we ran him at Bartlemy last season. He has a lovely way of doing things and we are delighted with him today,” reported Keating who purchased his winner for €23,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland Derby sale.
There was jubilant scenes in the I.T.B.A & Bobby Fitzgerald Accountant five-year-old-and-upwards mares’ maiden following Turndownthevolume’s success for owner, breeder and trainer Roy Tector. Third at Monksgrange and Dromahane last season, the six-year-old daughter of Stowaway ran out the three length winner over Vivalino in the hands of Eddie Keating.
A delighted Tector reported “If I could do the weight, I would have ridden her myself! I ride her out every morning shes a lovely mare. We bring her up to Dusty Sheehys to do all her pieces of work. We bred her ourselves and we have her full brother at home who is a three-year-old and is working well. We also have a half-sister of hers going to the sales next week.”
It was a memorable day for 19-year-old Conor Houlihan as he secured his first point-to-point winner aboard Racing Again in the Local Trainers & Powers of Tullahought six-year-old-and-upwards geldings’ maiden for novice riders.
The Tadhg O'Sullivan-owned six-year-old who has some previous placed track form to his name, led for much of the contest and held off the strong challenge of the consistent Troll D’Oudairies by a head. Trained by Con O’Keeffe who commented after the race
“I am delighted to give Conor his first winner, he rides out for me every day and he also rides out for John Kiely. He does all the work on Racing Again and he was great in the finish, he was very strong. I am not sure what we will do next, we will see how he comes out of the race and discuss plans with his owner.”
The owner/breeder combination of John Duggan enjoyed success when Longhouse Music took the Dick Frisby Winners of One following her third placed run at Turtulla two weeks previous.
A winner at Belclare last April, the daughter of Gamut was prominent throughout under Michael Tobin and progressed to lead from the seventh fence where she stayed on gamely to win by a comfortable 16 lengths over Johns Choice in second.
Winning handler, Sam Curling, stated after the race “She got a great ride from Michael who is now based with me. She is a lovely mare and did it well today. I am delighted for her owner John Duggan who is a big supporter of mine and has a couple of horses with me. We probably go for another winner’s race next.”
