Report | Nenagh 17th February 2019

Liz Lalor made a winning return to the saddle when taking the Connollys Red Mills ladies open on what was her first ride back since having her daughter Alex.

Cloudy Morning was also providing the multiple lady champion with a career milestone, as this was the Tipperary native’s 100th success between the flags.

Trained by the in-form Declan Queally and owned by Michael O’Donovan, the eight-time winner displayed his usual game attitude to come home two lengths clear of the favourite BL Swagger.

“Liz was so good on the horse, it’s unbelievable and that’s absolutely brilliant for her! We will aim this lad at similar types of lesser opens for the season,” said the successful Waterford handler who was saddling his 17th winner of the season. 

Tom Hamilton is enjoying a fruitful link-up with handler Shark Hanlon and the pair combined to take the Liambuckleycarsales.com five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Young Buck.

Subject to plenty of market support, the TJ McDonald and Rachael O’Neill-owned debutant never caused his connections any concern, as he posted a fine front-running performance to record a comfortable five-length success over fellow debutant Jack Hackett.

Hanlon was enjoying his sixth success of the season here and said: “I think this is a really good horse. He could be one of the best I’ve had. I am looking for a horse to replace Hidden Cyclone and I would love to keep him the yard.”

Luke Murphy brought his season’s tally to 12 winners for the season when steering home a brace from four rides on the day.

The Wexford native got off the mark in the Carey Glass winner of one aboard Shanacoole, who was the only finisher in the dramatic six-runner contest. 

The six-year-old was following up on his maiden success three weeks ago at Dungarvan, having previously shown promise in four-year-old maidens prior to a spell on the side-lines.

Benefitting from a patient ride on this occasion, the son of Oscar saw the favourite Saint Benedict exit four-out, before pulling clear in the home straight with Whatsdastory.

The pair were fighting out a thrilling finish when the latter came to grief at the final fence, leaving the Linda Motherway-owned gelding to come home alone.

Successful handler Colin Motherway will now aim the bay at a winners of two, before possibly moving to a hunters chase.

The lightly-raced A Ton Nom brought up the double for Murphy in the concluding Millerect Ltd older geldings’ maiden in the colours of Dervla and Peter Cogan.

Having made his debut as a four-year-old, the son of Early March was off the track for an enormous 1520 days prior to unseating on his reappearance at Ballinaboola earlier this month.

The now nine-year-old made no mistake on his second start for current connections when returning a five-length winner, having never been too far away from the pace.

Verticalpebble threw down a strong challenge in the home straight, but ultimately filled the runners-up spot for the third consecutive occasion.

“That’s absolutely fantastic, I think he must be the best nine-year-old maiden in the country! We will look for a winner of one now,” said Kildare handler Alan Donoghue.

Aaron Murphy did the steering aboard Generator City who recorded a well-deserved success in the Tattersalls Ireland six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The son of Primary was certainly not winning out of turn here, having previously been beaten by just a head at Belharbour.

The dark bay was getting off the mark at the fifth time of asking for owner John Byrne and made much of the running before coming home three lengths clear of Exit Eleven.

Connections may look to supplement this success in a winners’ race and the successful handler Ciaran Murphy said: “We are delighted with that, we were confident today as he had just been chinned twice. He is improving every week and the owners have been very patient, so I am delighted he got the job done today.”

Clare trainer Brian McMahon has been doing very well with a small team of horses under rules and looks to have a nice mare on his hands in the form of Loughrask Breeze who took the Local Trainers mares’ maiden.

The five-year-old made a promising debut when only beaten 12 lengths at Belharbour earlier in the month and stepped up on that effort to win by a length-and-a-half here on her second start.

Given a fine waiting ride by Eoin Mahon, the daughter of Papal Bull made relentless headway inside the final mile before battling on gamely to get the better of the favourite Forthegreatergood.

Owned and bred by fellow Clare man Thomas Vaughan, the successful mare will now go for a winners’ race if she is not sold beforehand, while McMahon said:  “She came to me as a three-year-old and to be fair to her the more work you give her the more work she takes. I’m very pleased for the owner and delighted for Eoin. It’s a great team effort.”