Report | Largy 21st Apr 18

Good weather brought out a big crowd on the feature day of the two-day fixture at Largy and the big local support had plenty of cheer about in the McKinstry Skip Hire six-year-old geldings’ maiden for novice riders which produced a very popular local winner.

When Patrick Dunne steered Watyawaitingfor to a five-lengths victory to a big cheer from the crowd which lined either side of the home straight, he was carrying the colours of Killultagh, Old Rock and Chichester Hunt member Robert Armstrong, who was being followed for the day by presenter Gavin Andrews and the BBC Home Ground team. It was a particularly special victory for Armstrong who also bred the seven-year-old, much like his half-brother, prolific points winner Send For Paddy.

“I think he was unlucky a couple of times running out at Loughanmore and only beat at Tyrella. The ground at Moira didn’t suit him last week and we knew he would run a big race today,” reported winning handler Lyle Andrew. “Paddy gave him a great ride and the ground was probably the key to him. He will head for a winner’s race next.”

There was an upset in the day’s feature race the Stonebridge Premium Feeds open, as outsider Bridgets Pet took the honours under a fine ride from Lar O'Carroll in the colours of trainer John Woods. The 11-year-old made eye-catching progress through the field on the run for home to overcome the long-time leader Samanntom, with eventual runner-up Chosen Dream keeping on well to finish a length and a half in arrears on the line. The Arakan gelding is a five-time track winner, with the Cheltenham festival placed gelding recorded his last success when beating Morning Assembly in a Fairyhouse Chase in January 2016.

"That is only his second run for us and he improve from his Loughanmore run.  He will continue tipping away in point-to-points," reported Woods of Bridgets Pet, who the Armagh handler acquired before Christmas. 

The consistent Shanroe Al C, third on his previous three attempts, finally got his head in front at the fourth time of asking to land the Albert Bartlett five-year-old geldings maiden in the colours of Brian Smyth. John Barry got a great tune out of the Kart Thonrton-trained gelding and got the run of the race around the home bend to lead home Skyhill by a length and a half in a thrilling finish.

“He’s a lovely horse, jumps and does everything right.  He was sick after his first run and we probably ran him again too quickly the next two times. He will probably head to the sales but I’d love to keep him and bring him to the track," disclosed the Co. Dublin-based handler who was recorded his first success of the current point-to-point campaign.

The Dennison Commercials four-year-old geldings’ maiden was won in good style by the Pat Turley-owned and trained Lecale's Article. Declan Lavery positioned his mount towards the fore throughout, and when asked to quicken, the son of Malinas put the race to bed quickly, sprinting away from his rivals approaching the final obstacle to come home eight-lengths clear of fellow newcomer Cage Of Fear.

“He’s a very good horse.  I said a few months ago that he was probably the best I have ever sat on.  Deckie gave him a great ride and knows the horse well.  He jumps well and will head to the sales now,” reported Turley of the bay gelding who gave €26,000 for at the 2017 edition of the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale.

The Stuart Crawford-trained Ratfacemcdougall, second on two earlier occasions including behind subsequent winner King Of The Sharks at Oldtown, went one better here to take the Killultagh Hunt Supporters adjacent maiden under the trainers brother Ben. The Greer Winnington-owned gelding made much of the running and was always in command to run out an easy six-length winner over the improved Lucys Gold. 

"The opportunity came to run him in that race and he did it well.  We will give him a break now and run him on the track in the autumn,” reported the winning trainer of the five-year-old son of Robin Des Champs, who is a €25,000 graduate out of the Goffs Land Rover sale and from the family of Jonjo O’Neill’s Triumph hurdle winner Spectroscope. 

David Christie followed up his win on Friday’s card at the Co. Antrim track with success in the Tughans mares’ winner of three with the David Kells-owned Corella Creek, who was making it four from four between the flags for the daughter of King's Theatre. The eight-year-old did not make it easy for her jockey Barry O'Neill, jumping left throughout, however she stuck to her task well to finish a length clear of the only maiden in the field, Alice's Star.

"We took a gamble running her right handed as she is a different class going the other way. She is some mare to still win giving so much ground away at each fence," reported Christie. "She will continue in mares’ company and could go for a hunter chase but that would have to be left-handed."