Well-bred newcomers feature among first 4yo entries of 2019

The entries for the first four-year-old maidens of 2019 have been published, with the action within the younger age division taking place at Ballinaboola and Bellharbour on Sunday.

One of last season’s most impressive four-year-old maiden winners emerged from the four-year-old maiden at the Wexford Foxhounds fixture 12 months ago, with Envoi Allen winning the 2018 renewal of the Artic Tack-sponsored maiden.

The French-bred went on to be sold for £400,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham February Sale following the success and has since remained unbeaten for his new connections Gordon Elliott and Chevely Park Stud, winning two bumpers on the bounce.

Bowe has plenty of options for Sunday’s race, with no fewer than five horses among the 18 races, including two horses trained by the Champion Handler for Gigginstown House Stud – Hell’s Canyon and Living’s Boy An Co, with the former costing €85,000 from the Goffs Land Rover Sale.

Gigginstown’s last winner of the Ballinaboola four-year-old maiden was Dorydalis in 2017 and he was trained by Pat Doyle, who was forced to settle for third in last year’s race with the subsequent winner Appreciate It.

The Tipperary handler will be looking to gain compensation this time around as he has entered two French breds, Flamenco De Kerser and Fado Des Brosses, that are from the family of multiple track winners.

All these horses are also entered at Bellharbour where there is just one fewer entry for the Costello Family-sponsored four-year-old maiden.

Of those just entered at the Clare course, Joseph Ryan has two well-bred four-year-old’s, Adrimel and The Hotelier, whilst fellow Clare handler Noel Glynn could also be represented with TheKnightmoreihope.