Image © Healy Racing
Not for the first time this season, Affinisea was respsonsible for an impressive four-year-old winner at Lisronagh when Douglas Hyde made the best possible start to his career.
Not for the first time this season, Affinisea was respsonsible for an impressive four-year-old winner at Lisronagh when Douglas Hyde made the best possible start to his career.
Trained by John O’Donovan and owned by his son Chris, the reigning champion rider in the southern region, Douglas Hyde was sent to the front with the drop of the flag in the Goffs UK Aintree Sale four-year-old maiden.
Although his chief rival Supreme George, who had the benefit of a previous run when finishing fourth at Lingstown on debut, did loom alongside him around the home bend, Eoin Mahon’s mount had plenty left in the tank in reserves and duly kicked on to record a four-length victory.
“This is a lovely straightforward horse that we really fancied today,” the winning owner said.
“He jumps and travels everywhere for you and showed that today. He’s never put in a bad piece of work since we got him and will head on to the Goffs UK Aintree Sale now.”
Bred by Godfrey Moylan out of a Midnight Legend mare that also made a winning start to her career between the flags before progressing into a two-time track winner, Douglas Hyde was bought by his owner for €10,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland July Store sale.
That debut victory follows the similar winning debut that Settle Down Jill enjoyed at the Tipperary course a month earlier.
Benny and Jenny Walsh’s four-year-old daughter of Affinisea proved to be a big hit when offered at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival sale with Ryan Mahon and British Champion Trainer contender Dan Skelton securing her for £120,000.
That proved to be a particularly good result for the Crossgales Stables team who had picked the pair up for €8,000 at the previous year’s Tattersalls Ireland July sale.
That already brings to four the number of four-year-old maiden winners this season for the Whytemount Stud resident.
It follows similar wins in the age group for Rossbridge at Ballycrystal in October and the win of First Confession at Moig South a month later.
The former has already progressed into a winner on the track when he made a winning hurdling debut at Ludlow in early February for new trainer Donald McCain.
First Confession proved to be a big hit in the sales ring when sold for £140,000 at the Goffs UK Coral Gold Cup sale, having been bought by his trainer John Flavin for €18,000.
