Report | Farmaclaffley 23rd February 2019

For the second year in succession local rider Daire McConville made his way into the winner’s enclosure following the Mullan Family confined hunt winner race, as having partnered subsequent hunter chase winner He Knows My Name to win the 2018 renewal, he returned victorious aboard Longtymegone 12 months on.

The victory was all the more special, as this nine-year-old carried McConville’s own colours in a success which also provided him with a first victory as a handler in the process, as the pair got the better of the Marshall Watson-trained Our Bonus by a head in a thrilling finish.

The son of Portrait Gallery, who pulled up in each of his two previous starts this season at Tinahely in January and Tattersalls Farm in December, will continue to run in point-to-points for the rest of the season.

Jamie Codd kicked off a very successful weekend with a treble at Farmacaffley, beginning with success in the Markethill Livestock & Farm Sales five-year-old geldings' maiden aboard Silver In Disguise.

Winning handler Alan Ahern was rewarded for making the long journey up to Armagh from Middleton in Cork when his steel grey gelding recorded a two-length victory on what was just his third career outing.

The son of Sulamani hit the front before the last and galloped to the line well to deny the Donnchadh Doyle-trained Go Whatever who battled on strongly in the hands of Rob James.

The winner was purchased at the Land Rover Sale for €25,000 in June 2017 as a store and will now head to the sales.

"He's a lovely horse and it's only his third run. He is learning all the time and there is still plenty of improvement in him and he’s related to some nice winners,” said winning handler Ahern.

Codd quickly doubled up in the Donnelly Bros Dungannon five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden aboard the Stuart Crawford-trained Wheesht.

The Scorpion mare got the better of the Dermot McLoughlin-trained Trickey Trix after the last and went on to win by two-and-a-half lengths on her debut.

Bought by Crawford at the Tattersalls Ireland August Sales as a three-year-old, connections are likely set to find new owners for her as she is now to be offered for sale.

“She has the speed to run in a bumper but she is such a good jumper we decided to start her in point-to-points.  She is a nice moving animal and appreciates a bit of cut in the ground which we have been waiting for and the track was in great condition," said the winning handler.

Codd completed his treble in the Armagh Construction Ltd Armagh open aboard Sizing Coal.

Running in the colours of the late Alan Potts, the Jim Dreaper-trained gelding produced an impressive performance to defeat Winged Leader by a comfortable seven lengths on what was just his second start of the campaign having chased home Stand Up And Fight at Down Royal over Christmas.

“We have been waiting on soft ground and on the strength of his run in Down Royal he was entitled to win as he did.  We will continue pointing and head for the Joseph O’Reilly hunter chase now,” said Tom Dreaper, son of the winning handler.

Sean and Noel McParlan dominated the day’s closing races with a double to bring the day to a close.

The first of the two victories for the father and son team came in the WHR Accountants winner of two race.

Carrying the colours of owner Peter Murphy, Hi Murphy secured his third consecutive success of the season, as he followed up earlier victories at Loughanmore and Loughbrickland to justify market support.

The Gamut gelding proving to be a worthy favourite when comfortably defeating the returning Slemish by three lengths and connections indicated that the seven-year-old would now head down the hunter chase route.

The McParlan family returned to the winner’s enclosure following the Philip White Tyres six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden, when Royal Drumlee stepped up from two previous efforts which included a second at Loughanmore in November to complete their Farmacaffley double.

The son of Royal Anthem came from behind to record a two-length victory over the Denis O'Sullivan-trained Duckphil in a race which saw the pair return a distance clear of their other rivals in the 10-runner concluder.

Co. Down-based Sean McParlan said “He’s a lovely horse and had a great run on his debut in a good race at Loughanmore. He quickened well coming up the hill here and will improve for the run. He will head to the sales now.”