Report | Inch 17th April 2019

Colin Bowe and Barry O'Neill teamed up for a double in the first two races with the pair getting off the mark courtesy of newcomer Emtara in the Tattersalls Ireland & Mag & Noel Long, Hickeys Bar, Mount Uniacke four-year-old mares’ maiden.

The daughter of Kayf Tara disputed the running virtually throughout until edging into a narrow advantage after three-out. Runner-up Tune The Chello closed approaching the final fence to then hold every chance on the flat, but Emtara was in no mood to be denied and the winner readily quickened on the flat to score by two lengths from Ashleigh Murphy's first-timer. Fantasia Roque meanwhile returned a further six lengths adrift in third spot.

"She's a nice filly and she will probably go to the sales," said Bowe of the mare who was bought by owner Kieran Cotter for £14,000 from the Trull House dispersal at the Goffs UK January sale at Doncaster over a year ago. Bowe and Kilrossanty native Cotter previously attained success with the black-type placed mare Ma Belle Amie.

The Goffs Punchestown Sale four-year-old geldings’ maiden saw the newcomer Broken Halo, who shares his sire Kayf Tara with Emtara, complete the Bowe/O'Neill brace by returning to the coveted number one slot in this contest.

The only winning favourite on the six-race card, shadowed Frisson Collonges until picking up the running before the second last. The Milestone Racing Partnership-owned bay was clearly travelling best on the flat and although kept up to his work in the closing stages, he still defeated Frisson Collonges by two and a half lengths.

"He's a lovely big horse with a good attitude and he will now go to some of the sales," said Bowe of Broken Halo.

Terence O'Brien emulated handler Bowe's feat by also departing with two winners and the Carrigtwohill-based operator initially struck with Youracert in the eight-runner Hurleys SuperValu, Midleton five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The five-year-old who made a pleasing career debut despite pulling up in Keep Wondering's Liscaroll maiden on March 24th, disputed the running until Rebel Patriot moved into pole position on the descent from four-out.

The winning son of Multiplex, bred incidentally by Emtara's owner Kieran Cotter, hit the front after the second last. With rider Darragh Allen looking around for non-existent dangers after the last, Youracert bounded clear to dismiss Rebel Patriot by four lengths.

Owner/trainer O'Brien said of the winner: "He was working well in the autumn and then we gave him a break.
He ran ok in Liscarroll and that was a good performance here today. He will now go to some of the sales."

The Connollys Red Mills & Aherns Centra five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden attracted the biggest field of the afternoon with 17 runners and Michael Winters seems to have another smart mare on hands in the form of newcomer Blarney Bateleur, who impressed by showing a clean pair of heels to her rivals in the hands of Chris O'Donovan.

The six-year-old went to the head of affairs on the descent from the seventh fence and she made the rest of the running. The daughter of Flemensfirth was clearly possessing all the aces on the run to the last and she duly kept fellow first-timer Clonegam at bay by four lengths in the colours of owner/breeder Caroline Myers.

"She's a big, strong mare that's a solid galloper and she should make into a lovely chaser," said Winters.

Michael O'Sullivan is really making waves this season and the Lombardstown teenager teamed up with his uncle Eugene O'Sullivan to capture the East Cork Oil winner of one with Getaway Totherock, who finished well down the field on her previous outing in the point-to-point bumper at Gowran Park.

The only mare in the line-up, Getaway Totherock made progress from four-out and she moved second behind long-time leader Saint Benedict on the run to the final fence.

Having landed running here, the winning six-year-old took the measure of Saint Benedict inside the final 50 yards to score by a half-length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

"On hindsight, she shouldn't have run in the bumper at Gowran Park. She has redeemed herself today and she's entered in the hunters chase at Cork on Easter Monday, but it will probably come too soon," said owner/trainer/breeder Eugene O'Sullivan of Getaway Totherock.

The concluding T & M Fitzgerald & Kelkab Ltd five-year-old and upwards adjacent maiden saw Larcadio atone for falling when leading at the final fence at Bandon on his penultimate foray in early-March by bringing up handler Terence O'Brien's double.

The six-year-old arrived from well off the pace and he surged to the front on the approach to the last en-route to accounting for Not Fou Sale by a widening six lengths in the hands of 19-year-old James Murphy from Walshtown outside Midleton, who was posting a second career success.

"He's a horse that I bought as a three-year-old and this makes up for his fall at Bandon. There's a €5,000 winners race at Dromahane on April 28th and he will go there now," said owner/trainer O'Brien.