Report | Lisronagh 28th April 18

This season’s current handlers’ championship leader Donnchadh Doyle, also on the mark with Court Jurado in a division of the four-year-old maiden at Taylorstown, continued his stellar campaign by saddling Espoir De Loire to make a winning debut in the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Ascot Sales four-year-old maiden.

Champagne Mystery led from six out and Roisin Hickey’s charge had favourite Road Warrior as his closest pursuer from the fourth last with the patiently-ridden Espoir De Loire closing in third after three out. The winning son of Anabaa Blue went second two out, a fence which claimed Road Warrior with Pat Doyle’s representative still holding every chance at the time. The triumphant French-bred then took command with Rob James at the final fence to beat Champagne Mystery by one and a half lengths in the familiar Monbeg Syndicate silks.

Doyle remarked of Espoir De Loire, a €20,000 graduate of last year’s Fairyhouse August sale that traces back to Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes winner Madame Trop Vite: ”He’s very green and is tough out. He will go to some of the sales next.”

Rob James, who rode four winners in total over the weekend, completed a two-timer by returning to the coveted number one slot aboard the Sean Doyle-trained newcomer Shotgun Sally in the Kenilworth House Stud five-and-six-year-old mares’ maiden.

The Monbeg Syndicate-owned Shotgun Sally always travelled with purpose in mid-division and she moved through to overtake Dorn Rose before two out. Runner-up Maliboo soon mounted a determined challenge and there was then very little to separate the pair until the winning daughter of Milan got on top at the final fence to score by a length.

“I bought this mare with Graham Breen as a three-year-old at the Goffs Land Rover sale, “said Doyle of the half-sister to Shotgun Paddy. “Graham has done all the work and he had her spot on for today. She will now be sold.”

The Declan Queally-trained Fenno’s Storm has experienced a terrific season and the recent Tetretema Cup Hunters Chase winner had little more than an exercise canter with first-time partner Liz Lalor in the Kirbys Pharmacy, Pat Doyle & ITM Ladies Open. Fenno’s Storm made all the running and, although making a few errors most notably at the second fence, he readily asserted from two out to contain the only other finisher Bothair Clei by 15 lengths.

“If it stays soft, we will keep running him and it wouldn’t be out of the question that he could go to Ballindenisk next Saturday,” said Queally of the Maurice Walsh-owned Fenno’s Storm.

Lisronagh is actually Liz Lalor’s local track as she originally hails from just three miles away in Rathkenty and she now needs just two more victories in points to reach the magical 100.

Stephen Connor filled in for John Barry, who didn’t ride for the remainder of the afternoon following his second-last fence fall from Road Warrior in the first race, by teaming up with Kieran Purcell to capture the Camas Park & Summerhill Stud five-year geldings’ maiden with newcomer Accordingtogino.

The Perugino-sired Accordingtogino shadowed the frontrunning Out The Glen in second spot until overtaking the long-time leader before two out. It was all plain sailing thereafter as the winning chesnut accounted for Out The Glen by six lengths.

“He’s a lovely genuine horse and I would imagine that he would prefer nicer ground,” said owner/trainer Purcell of Accordingtogino, whom his granddaughter Alanna Dunphy acquired as a three-year-old at the 2016 Fairyhouse August sale.

Purcell incidentally also won a Ballingarry four-year-old maiden with another son of Perugino in Gino Trail back in 2011. Gino Trail has since developed into a cracking two-mile chaser in Britain over the past two seasons, since transferring to Kerry Lee. The now 11-year-old has won seven races, also finishing third to Politologue in this past season’s Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter in November.

Tunder Strike provided Ballinure-based owner/trainer Tom Shanahan’s son Bill with a second success of the campaign by readily casting aside his rivals in the Hotel Minella & Skehanagh Stables six-year-old geldings maiden.

Tunder Strike, a respectable third on his debut at Shanahan’s local Horse And Jockey fixture in March, made his way to the front with a mile still left to travel. The favourite Dubai Dandy challenged before two out, but he was beaten approaching the final fence as the winning son of Woodpas asserted to oblige by six lengths.

“He’s a very honest horse and I’m delighted for Bill who does a lot of work with him whilst my other son David is involved at home as well,” said the elder Shanahan, huntsman of the Premier Harriers who host the aforementioned Horse And Jockey meeting.

Alloverafiver has been a model of consistency lately and John Halley’s mare made most of the running with Eoin Mahon in the Connollys Red Mills seven-year-old-and-upwards maiden for novice riders.

Alloverafiver, runner-up on her two most recent starts at Durrow and Stradbally, was challenged by Tunder Strike’s stable-companion Ozean from two out. Alloverafiver was already getting the better of the argument when not overly clever at the final fence and she ultimately beat the promising Ozean by three parts of a length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

“I went to school here in Lisronagh and this is the one that I wanted,” said Alloverafiver’s understandably-elated owner Dick O’Brien.