Report | Borris 3rd March 2019

County Wexford rider Jimmy O'Rourke had a successful day at Borris House on Sunday when recording a double on the card.

O'Rourke's first victory came aboard the Matthew Flynn O'Connor-trained Sporting John in the John M Foley Solicitors four-year-old Maiden.

The son of Getaway travelled strongly into the home straight, pulling clear after the last to defeat the Denis Murphy-trained Generation Text by a distance of two-and-a-half lengths.

The winner was purchased from the Land Rover Sale last year for a price of €33,000 and will now be bound for the sales.

 “We bought him in the Land Rover from Dick Frisby and ever since getting him home I have loved everything about him. He jumped like a buck the whole way around and all his work has been 110% so we were confident that he had the class," said the Ballindaggin-based handler, who also owns the four-year-old.

O'Rourke brought up his double on the day when claiming the third race on the card, the Innvotec five-year-old and upwards’ mares maiden aboard Madera Mist.

The Donnchadh Doyle-trained five-year-old made much of the running throughout the race and ran out a convincing four-length winner over the Aidan Fitzgerald-trained Bannixtown Glory.

The daughter of Stowaway, who was a €28,000 Derby sale graduate, finished third on her debut in Tyrella back in January and will now head to the sales.

“She is a very nice mare that was sick when she ran at Tyrella. She has a lot of scope to jump fences and should be a proper mare," said the winning handler’s brother Eamonn Doyle.

The Ballyhane Stud five-year-old geldings’ maiden went to Escaria Ten in the hands of Jamie Codd for Liam Lennon.

The French bred gelding travelled well throughout the race, finishing with a comfortable two-and-a-half-length victory over the Denis Murphy-trained Lifeisahighway.

The son of Maresca Sorrento is likely to appear in new ownership when he returns to competitive action as he is reported to be offered for sale.

“He did that very well. We knew he was a nice horse as he has been working well. Jamie actually said that he is one of the nicest horses that he has ridden in a long time and once he gave him a kick in the belly he went up a gear,” said the winning handler Liam Lennon.
 
All ears came out on top in the Duninga Gallops five-year-old and upwards adjacent maiden, in what proved to be a grief-stricken affair, as the James Barcoe-trained mare was the only finisher in the race out of six starters.

The daughter of Alkaadhem gave 18-year-old Robbie Jackson from County Wicklow his first winner on what was a memorable day for the Leaving Certificate student.

“We’re delighted that she won and Robbie (Jackson) gave her a great ride, he was very cool. She is a great fun mare for him to ride and we will run her away in winner races now," said the winning handler Jimmy Barcoe.

Shark Hanlon saddled his seventh winner of the season in the Connollys Red Mills winner of two race with Says The Boy.

The French bred gelding was ridden to success by Tom Hamilton and was the only maiden in the line up.

Running in the colours of winning owner Rachel O'Neill, the Youmzain gelding fended off the persistent effort from the Liam Kenny-trained runner-up Ted on what was just his second career outing having previously finished sixth at Tattersalls Farm on his debut run as a four year old in December.

O'Neill purchased the gelding for €26,000 from the Land Rover Sale in 2017 and he will now be offered at the sales.

 “I think the world of this horse. Our jockey was concussed on his first run and he never moved on the horse. I thought he would have won going into the race.

“I had him in the confined here and said that if he won that he would be worth nothing so went for this. It is not easy to take on previous winners with a horse that has only run once, but I think he is a lovely horse that will go on to the sales.” said the winning handler.

The Goresbridge Bloodstock Sales six-year-old and upwards geldings maiden for novice riders went to Crutches Lad under the guidance of Wexford rider James Kenny.

The son of Alkaadhem, who has had three previous starts to date, provided Kenny with his second success of the weekend when defeating the favourite Moes Tavern by four lengths.

The Willie Murphy-trained gelding coped well in the testing conditions just three weeks after his last run at Tallow where he finished fifth.