Derek O’Connor instigated his hat-trick, all three winners incidentally being supplied by different handlers, by recording a rare success for the absent Denis Murphy aboard recent Bellurgan Park runner-up Gipsy Lee Rose in the ITBA & Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old mares’ maiden. The Walk In The Park-sired Gipsy Lee Rose tracked long-time leader Benefficient Queen until edging past before the second last to beat promising first-timer Roses Poses by a comprehensive six lengths. Gipsy Lee Rose’s London-based owner Alan Harte said:”Denis Murphy has always really liked this filly and he said that she would win at Bellugan Park the last day. She was bought [for €45, 000] at the Goffs Land Rover sale last year and she will now go to some of the sales. “
The Robert Tyner-trained newcomer Alnadam provided Derek O’Connor with his middle success by coming home as he pleased in the first division of the Killian Lynch Auctioneers five-year-old geldings maiden. The Poliglote-sired Alnadam always travelled well and the French-bred moved to the front after the bypassed third last fence to account for the promising Jones Road by eight lengths, showing a blistering turn of foot in the process. “I think he is a very good horse and he was bought at the Derby sale as a three-year-old, “disclosed Tyner of the Three Dudes Syndicate-owned Alnadam, whose dam is a half-sister to Willie Mullins’ smart chaser Polidam. “The run here probably came a week too soon for him. “
The Oriel House Hotel five-year-old-upwards mares’ maiden attracted the biggest field of the day in 16 runners and it provided a fair share of drama with the leader Osca Loca crashing out at the final fence, bringing down the closing Rare Deal and also She’s Some Luxury who was beaten at the time.
The pursuing Luscious Lilly was left in front, but this newcomer was impeded as My First Symphony threaded her way through to lead on the flat. Although Luscious Lilly to her credit refused to yield, the recent Stradbally third My First Symphony was marginally too strong as she defeated Ray Barron’s luckless mount by a neck in what was the closest finish of the afternoon. My First Symphony was ridden to victory by William Cronin for his uncle Paddy Cronin. The elder Cronin, who trains a small string outside Doneraile, said:”This mare needs a big galloping track such as this. She was broken by Damian Murphy last year and he did a great job with her. I’m also delighted for my son Danny as she is his first winner as an owner. “
Kieran Purcell, fresh from his success with Accordingtogino at Lisronagh eight days earlier, continued his stellar run by saddling Deise Aba to make an impressive winning debut in the hands of Declan Queally in the second division of the Killian Lynch Auctioneers five-year-old geldings maiden. The Mahler-sired Deise Aba took up the running travelling best before the final fence and he ultimately accounted for the staying-on debutant Minella United by four lengths. “He’s a lovely horse that was very green in the parade-ring and he should come on a tonne, “commented owner/trainer Purcell of Deise Aba, a gelding incidentally that traces back to former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Bregawn.
There was further drama in the Robert Harkin & Associates Auctioneers Winner of One as the diminutive mare Steak And Spuds, having lost some 25 lengths at the start, came from an unlikely position to claim a most meritorious success in the hands of talented five lb claimer David O’Brien. The Tom Keogh-trained Steak And Spuds, who won her maiden at Ballynoe on St Patrick’s Day, gradually edged closer on the final circuit and the recent Courtown third took the measure of long-time leader The Alchemyst before the final fence to oblige by a widening four lengths in the colours of the Tutti Fruitti Syndicate. Keogh, who trains just two horses at his Belgooly base, commented:”You would be very happy after that and she’s a very tough mare. Maybe, we will now run her at the Tralee meeting in three weeks time. “
The Sydney Paget success story continued as the Pat Doyle-trained gelding, the leading pointer of the season, recorded a remarkable eighth consecutive success of the year in the hands of regular partner Derek O’Connor in the Blarney Castle & Gardens Open. In a race that effectively developed into a match, Sydney Paget tracked Minella For Value until taking command from two out to beat Declan Queally’s charge by two lengths with the pair being the only finishers from the four runners that set out. In the absence of handler Doyle, winning rider O’Connor remarked of the Roddy O’Byrne-owned Sydney Paget:”He’s a fabulous horse and he gave me a great feel in what rode a real good open. It would be really lovely for him to become champion pointer this season. “
Eoin O’Brien’s decision to travel to this meeting after riding at Loughrea earlier in the afternoon reaped rich dividends as he steered Donie Murphy’s ex-track performer Cousin Pascal to a resounding success in the Grandon Toyota Car Sales six-year-old-and-upwards geldings’ maiden. Cousin Pascal, narrowly touched off in a two and a half mile Wexford maiden hurdle last October, disputed the running until making the best of his way home from the third last to beat Uallrightharry by four lengths. “ I have him since he was a two-year-old and he will probably go back hurdling now, that’s provided that he’s not sold, “reported handler Murphy of his wife Geraldine’s Cousin Pascal.
