Report | Taylorstown 27th April 2019

The partnership of Barry O'Neill and Colin Bowe enjoyed a double on the day at Taylorstown on Saturday.

The first of their successes came in the Derrylecka Bedding Centre five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Cremant. Owned by Pat McKeon, the son of Getaway got off the mark at the third time of asking having been placed second on his last outing at Rathcannon recently.

The €10,500 foal, who was running in the colours of the former Cheltenham bumper winner Relegate, recorded an eight-length victory over the Neil McKnight-trained debutant Mcgarry. This winner contains three likely season champions with Bowe likely to take the leading handlers title, O'Neill is likely to claim the leading riders’ title, while the leading sire is likely to go to Getaway.

The O'Neill/Bowe partnership quickly scored their second success with Alice O'Byrne in The Seven Stars five-year-old and upwards mares' maiden. The daughter of Vinnie Rowe was unlucky when carried out at the final fence in Courtown on her last start.

The €5,000 August sale purchase won by a comfortable seven lengths on this occasion defeating the Jim Dreaper-trained Raddle And Hum. Owned by business man Brian Kenny from Wicklow, the mare may now contest a winners’ race if not sold.

Jamie Codd was another rider to enjoy a double on the day, his first success came in the Boyds Stores open aboard Kruzhlinin. This marks the geldings’ ninth point-to-point win of the season, the first horse of modern times to achieve such a feat.

The Gordon Elliot trained gelding now goes one ahead of Longhouse Music in the champion pointer title but if the mare wins again and joins him on nine she will go in front with more placings to her name. Owner, Camilla Sharples, was on hand to greet her winner as she was not required for leading up duties elsewhere as is often the case. 

The former champion pointer Anseanachai Cliste finished second beaten three lengths for rider/handler Daire McConville.

Codd brought up his double in the Franco Hughes six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden when Amalfi Doug ran out a two-and-a-half-length winner over Bronco Bill. The winner was previously trained by Dan Skelton before being sent by Skelton to current handler Jim Dreaper. 

The gelding is owned by Leon Tormey who was groomsman at Dreapers wedding, Tormey has had plenty of luck with horses lately having had three point winners from three horses.
The runner up was handled/owned by Thomas Nolan and ridden by Micheal Jack Molloy. Amalfi Doug may now be sold to run under rules as he has some good placed form.
The double for Jamie Codd sees him move three clear in northern riders' title on 14 winners.

The Dennison Commercials Ltd four-year-old maiden divided for the second year in a row and the first divide went to Donnchadh Doyle with the debutant Evander. The winning Arcadio gelding, a €13,500 foal, had to fend off the challenge of the more experienced, Colin Bowe-trained Battle of Actium.

The runner up, owned by Gigginstown House Stud, finished second on his point debut at Turtulla and was fourth on his second run at Moira. Clondaw Pretender finished third for Mick Goff, just two lengths behind the winner.

The winning handler had further success with one of his graduates on the day when Talkischeap, a horse that won three point-to-points in 2016 for Doyle before making £55,000 at the Cheltenham sales, won the feature at Sandown for Alan King. Similarly Evander will now likely head to the sales.

The second division of the four-year-old maiden went to another Doyle brother when Dancewiththewind secured victory for Sean Doyle. The son of Jeremy came home nine lengths clear in the hands of James Walsh denying the Warren Ewing-trained Steinkraus.

The runner up was ridden by Pa King who unfortunately took a heavy fall, breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle at Monksgrange the following day. Costing €18,000 as a store at the Tattersalls May sale, the winner previously finished fifth at Borris House in March, with the form of this maiden has worked out quite well with a host of horses winning since. The Monbeg Partnership-owned gelding will now be sold.

Getaman returned to form to take the Philip McCabe Quantity Surveyor winner of one race for Colin McKeever and Wilson Dennison. The winning son of Getaway looked promising when winning at Portrush earlier this season but his form dipped when pulling up twice since then.

Derek O'Connor gave the winner an exceptional ride to produce the gelding to challenge at the last when coming from well off the pace. Second place went to Gold Time for Martin Corrigan, the daughter of Gold Well was beaten by a length on this occasion.

The winning owner Wilson Dennison missed the celebrations as he was on holiday in Spain but his daughter Catriona was in attendance.