Report | Tinahely 24th February 2019

Just four runners faced the starter in the opening Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham four-year-old maiden, which saw Colin Bowe saddle his fourth success of the season in this age division when Linelee King ran out an impressive eight-length winner.

Ridden by Barry O’Neill, the good-looking grey eased clear in the home straight to get the better of another debutant in the form of Agent Rushour.

Carrying the familiar Milestone Racing Partnership colours, the successful Martaline gelding was purchased for €38,000 at the Land Rover Sale in 2018 and the Wexford handler said: “This is a horse that I bought from Peter Vaughan and Barry (O’Neill) thinks he is a smart horse. He will go to the sales now.”

Barry O’Neill brought up his double aboard Subtle Quest, who received an overdue success in the John R. Fitzpatrick, Agricultural Contractor five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, as the daughter of Millenary had been placed on all five of her previous starts.

Also sporting the Milestone Racing Partnership colours, the five-year-old appeared to enjoy the front running tactics employed on this occasion, coming home three lengths clear of the consistent Sadhbh’s Delight.

“She is very small and I would say that the hill helped her as she just stays going at the one pace, but she is a genuine little thing. I think she will be sold now as she will have a better life in England,” said the Wexford-based handler, who was not only enjoying a double on the day, but also joined Declan Queally at the top of the handlers table with his 18th success of the campaign.

Tiernan Roche has been enjoying a good season to date and the Wexford rider partnered his fourth winner this term when Fleck Ivy took the concluding Kent Carty Solicitors & Frank & Martin O’Donnell older geldings’ maiden for novice riders.

The successful six-year-old was getting off the mark at just the second time of asking, on what was his first start for handler Benny Walsh.

Pulled up on his debut at Ballindenisk last May, the son of Mustameet took a step forward here when running out an empathic ten-length winner, with Tipp Away filling the runners-up berth.

“We always knew he was well up to that. He stays well and is a very good jumper. This is the first horse that I have had with Benny and we will try and sell him now,” said successful owner Willie Allen.

The Magee Family five-year-old geldings’ maiden saw Peter Flood saddle Enjoy D’Ellen to record a comfortable success in the hands of Jamie Codd, initiating a double for the Wexford rider.

Owned by Alan Harte, the son of Network showed plenty of promise when finishing a fine second on his debut at Ballinaboola earlier in the month.

The five-year-old built on that performance here, picking up well in the home straight to beat the pace setter Ultimate Getaway by eight lengths.

“He improved a lot from the last day and jumped very well there. I told Jamie (Codd) to take a lead for as long as he could and he quickened away nicely. That my first winner for Alan Harte and he is a great owner to have in the yard. This lad will be sold now,” said the Kilcock handler.

Codd brought up the brace in the John Durkan Memorial open aboard Kruzhlinin, who maintained his unbeaten record between the flags this season when winning his seventh consecutive open.

Sporting the colours of Camilla Sharples, the son of Sholokhov faced only two rivals on this occasion and the 12-year-old never gave his connections too much cause for concern, when recording an easy ten-length success over Venitien De Mai.

Representing Gordon Elliott, Simon McGonagle said; “Jamie (Codd) was very happy with him and said that he won very handily. He loves that ground and the plan would be to go to Aintree for the Foxhunters. That is about five or six weeks away, so he might have one more run in an open before then.”

The Fitzpatrick, Gallagher, McEvoy Solicitors winner of two race saw the father and son combination of Barry and John Walsh team up for a local success with Loggan Lady, as the family are based only a few miles from the track in Ballyday. 

Indeed the seven-year-old is somewhat of a course specialist having landed her maiden success around the Wicklow course in 2017.

Ridden by Barry, the daughter of Beneficial appeared to relish a step down from open class, having been placed around here behind Kruzhlinin back in January, before pulling up on her last start at Ballyvodock.

Given a patient ride here, the bay eventually saw-off recent Ballinaboola winner Spanish Leather by a length.
 “We might give her a run in a hunter chase now.  She has a nice pedigree and hopefully we will keep her for breeding,” said the successful owner/handler.