Report | Dromahane 22nd Apr 18

The newcomer Honeysuckle justified the lengthy trek from handler Jerry Cosgrave’s Banbridge stables in Co Down by winning the Goffs Punchestown Sale four-year-old mares’ maiden, the one that attracted the biggest field of the day in 12 starters, without remotely coming off the bridle in the hands of her owner Sara O’Hare’s husband Mark. In a race that was run at a cracking tempo, the British-bred Honeysuckle made smooth progress after four out and she eased to the front after the third last.

It was all plain sailing from there as the winning daughter of Sulamani, who has a strong German distaff pedigree, stormed clear to beat Annie Mc by 15 lengths in the style of a filly that we will all be hearing a lot more about.

“She is a lazy sort at home, but we were always happy with her. When I gave her a squeeze, she took off and she will be sold now,” said winning rider O’Hare of Honeysuckle, a €9, 500 graduate of last year’s Derby sale.

Honeysuckle was quickly added to this Thursday’s Goffs sale after racing at Punchestown.

The in-form James Hannon initiated the opening leg of a two-timer by combining with Robert Tyner to win the first division of the Tattersalls Ireland five-year-old geldings maiden with the Kildorrery debut third Full Tilt, who then performed below par by coming eighth at Ballynoe last month. Full Tilt made smooth progress here to hit the front before two out and he had just been joined by Champagne Court when erring at the final fence. To his credit, the winning son of Flying Legend fought back on the flat to eclipse the promising Champagne Court by a head in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

“He had a very good run in Kildorrery, but he then wasn’t right when finishing eighth at Ballynoe on St Patrick’s Day,” remarked Tyner of Full Tilt, owned by Brendan Keogh from Kent. “He may well go to the sales now.”

The Joe Ryan-trained newcomer Hes No Trouble, a son of Scorpion that’s out of an own-sister to 2000 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Looks Like Trouble, completed the James Hannon double by returning to the coveted number one slot in the second division of the Tattersalls Ireland five-year-old geldings maiden.

Hes No Trouble was always positioned towards the head of affairs and he went back to the front after four out. Whilst Shanacoole Prince challenged from three out, the recent Liscarroll runner-up was beaten from the final fence as newcomer Bridane High came through to secure second spot with the ultimate winning margin being three lengths. Handler Ryan said of his son Josh’s Hes No Trouble, a 2016 Derby sale graduate:

“This fellow is a lazy sort and he would nearly go asleep on you. He was nearly ready to run last season and he will now be sold.”

John Barry likewise partnered two winners, the Conna native opening his account aboard PJ Colville’s Colonel Keating in The Fitzgerald Family & Grange Stud six-year-old-upwards maiden. The towering Colonel Keating, having finished a creditable second to Blue Morpho on his debut here last month, gave his supporters major cause for alarm by erring at the first fence. The winning son of Yeats then got into a nice rhythm and he assumed command two out to beat Touch Tight by a widening eight lengths.

“He’s a grand big type that just took time to mature and he will now go to the Goffs UK sale at Doncaster next month,” disclosed Colville of his wife Grainne’s Colonel Keating.

Willie O’Doherty, who trains just four horses at his base outside Ballingarry in west Limerick, struck with newcomer Le Cheval Noir in the Goffs Punchestown Sale four-year-old geldings maiden. A son of Le Fou, Le Cheval Noir always travelled with purpose for Declan Queally and he had just moved through to challenge Sidi Ismael when latter fell two out.

The eventual winner was then the faster away from this penultimate obstacle as favourite Castle Trump was impeded by the fall of Sidi Ismael. Although then losing momentum at the final fence and duly being headed by runner-up Castle Trump, Le Cheval Noir readily fought back to assert inside the final 100 yards to beat Paul Cashman’s charge by one and a half lengths.

“I don’t know what we will do with him now, but he was very impressive out there today,” said O’Doherty of Le Cheval Noir, owned by Angela Breen from Newcastlewest. Le Cheval Noir is another that was added to the Goffs sale after racing at Punchestown tomorrow (Thursday) evening.

The Vincent Halley-trained Chinensis brought up the concluding leg of the John Barry two-timer by overcoming in excess of a five-month absence in the Dairygold & OK Woodcraft Winner of Three. Chinensis, not seen since winning a four-year-old maiden at this same venue in November, was patiently ridden with the victorious son of Well Chosen easily picking up the running on the outer after three out to dismiss long-time leader Big Man Clarence by three and a half lengths.

“Fair play to the owner Sarah Keane and her husband Tom Fleming for letting me run him in a winners of three,” said Halley.

“He’s a nice horse that won a competitive maiden here in November. He was idling in front today and he will be learning away the whole time.”

It certainly was a memorable afternoon for 17-year-old Conor Costello, a Fifth Year student at St Caimins in Shannon, for he rode an initial career winner aboard his father John’s veteran Final Gift in the Hibernian Hotel & Buckley Brothers Open.

The 12-year-old Final Gift, a former dual points scorer at Dromahane, won a ladies open on his penultimate foray at Quakerstown and he struck the front on the outer at the second last. With runner-up Dushrembrandt erring at the final fence, Final Gift maintained a narrow advantage to the line to score by a half-length.

“I’ve had a lot of great days in racing,” said winning handler Costello. “But, this is the nearest thing to a fairy-tale as this was the last horse owned by my late father Tom, he’s owned by my mother Josephine who is here today and he was ridden by my son.”