Report | Bellurgan Park 15th Apr 18

The rescheduled Bellurgan Park fixture managed to beat the elements and take place at the second time of asking and it was Donnchadh Doyle who picked-up his 21st winner of the season with the easiest winner of the day, Beyondapproach.

The impressive mare barely came out of second gear over the course of the three-mile trip in the Darver Castle four-year-old mares’ maiden to prevai in the colours of the Monbeg Syndicate, and in the process initiate a double for jockey Barry O'Neill. The daughter of Jeremy supplemented a very good debut run against geldings at Tinahely, where she finished two-lengths second to The Hollow Chap, by leading from flag fall and going on to win by a very cosy two-lengths over newcomer Gipsy Lee Rose.

“She’s a lovely big mare who did that very well. We have always liked her and she ran a great race against geldings’ in Tinahely. We got at her at the Land rover last year for €35,000 from Martin Cullinane,” reported Andy Pierce representing an absent winning handler.

The smallest field of the day went to post in the Total Produce open where a disappointing field of just two runners faced the starter, and it was the Ray Nicholas's Sporting Pointers Syndicate’s Vinnie Luck who came out on top of the match race. Double seeking Barry O'Neill chose to track his sole rival Drawn N Drank throughout before producing his mount just before the final fence to land an easy victory by four-lengths over the ultra-consistent veteran.

"We have been waiting for better ground as he has been running on ground he hates all winter," reported Christie.

"It is disappointing to see such few runners in these open contests. He will now go for another open and then maybe a hunter’s chase.”

Hard to Forget made most of the running and jumped with ease in the hands of Lar O'Carroll to land the Country Fresh five-year-old geldings’ maiden by four-lengths over Robin Du Roi. This effort was a marked improvement for the Rodney Arthur-owned and trained son of Gold well to provide his trainer with an initial success of the campaign.

“We have always thought a lot about this horse. Unfortunately he has just had no luck in running on previous starts. He was given a lovely ride by Lar and stayed the whole way to the line,” commented Arthur.

Timmy Love recorded his fifth winner of the season when steering Cubanera to success in the Sean Gallagher, Lougher Stables winners of one for five-horse handler Heather Kiernan. Owned by Andrew Kiernan, who is no relation of the winning handler, the daughter of Milan raced in mid-division throughout, before taking up the lead on approach to the last from where she dug deep and rallied well to see off a renewed effort from Commanding Spirit on the run to the line to win by a neck.

“We are delighted, she’s a great mare and the track today suited her as she is only small. She preferred the better ground today and was given a lovely ride by Timmy. She will now go for a winners of two or a mares race next,” reported the Westmeath handler, who is also the secretary of her local point-to-point at Castletown-Geoghegan.

Alright Marlene improved from her fifth place effort in a similar event at Durrow last month to land the College Proteins five-year-old-and-upwards mares’ maiden and in doing so, continuing the good run of form for handler Peter Flood. Having been ridden prominently throughout, the daughter of Stowaway was half a length down approaching the final fence, however she produced a fine jump and proceeded to battle well under a strong drive by Mark O'Hare to hit the front on the run-in and flashed by the winning line with one length over Drumconnor Girl.

"She did that very well today. We have always thought a lot of her and would have been disappointed if she didn’t win today. She will now go the sales," divulged the winning handler.

The concluding Deeside Agri Services six-year-old geldings’ maiden for novice riders went the way of the Dermot McLoughlin-trained Victory Gyp in the colours of Thomas Carey. Paul Bannon produced the six-year-old son of Voix Du Nord before the final fence, and the ex-Warren Ewing runner went on to defeat Drumconnor by six-lengths to provide the winning rider with his initial success of this campaign here.

“He needed the run the last day out and has improved a huge amount since then. He will either go for a winners’ race or back to the track now,” reported Lar O'Carroll on behalf of Dermot McLoughlin.