Report | Lingstown 24th November 2019

Super Citizen, who is a previous two-time winner, made a victorious return to action when landing the Cooney Furlong Grain Ltd & Kilmore Potatoes Ltd winner-of-two for the father-daughter partnership of Eugene and Maxine O’Sullivan, denying recent Knockmullen House winner Vinnie’s Nephue by half-a-length in the process.

Cork Handler O’Sullivan said: “He’s a lovely horse, who’s been very progressive since we started with him. It was his first run of the season today and we just thought he might need the run. We might run him in the Limerick hunters chase at Christmas and we’ll see where he’ll go after that.”

Vital Island and Sizing Solution battled out what was a thrilling finish in the Neville Hotels open over the unique banks course, with the former getting the verdict by a neck, in the hands of Mark Scallan for handler Richard O’Keefe.

The son of Trans Island, who had won the Banks race at the course in March 2018, was left in good form following his run in a cross country races a week earlier at Punchestown.

“He loves it around here, that’s his second win here now. He loves the banks, it changed his life around, so that’s what we’ll stick at for a while. I might run him in the cross country race at Cheltenham in December,” said winning handler Richard O’Keeffe.

The Tattersalls Cheltenham four-year-old maiden saw Ocean Drifter make his third start for Donnchadh Doyle a victorious one when recording a promising success here in the hands of Rob James.

The son of Aizavoski, stepped up from his second-placed effort at Loughrea last month by mastering odds-on favorite Get Rich Die Plyin in the closing stages, to get his head in front by one and a half lengths.

“He deserved that, he’d had two good runs before he came here, he was in good form. He did it well from the front, jumped well, travelled well and picked up well going towards the line. He’ll go to the sales now,” said Doyle.

Ulterior Motives came out on top in the Wright Insurance & GAIN Equine Nutrition five-year-old mares’ maiden, in what proved to be a dramatic affair, as the daughter of Stowaway dug deep on the run in to get up by a short head over long-time leader Jackie Daniels.

Sporting the colours of owner Patrick O’Sullivan, the previously-placed chestnut mare, who was appearing for the eighth time, was guided to victory by local rider Jamie Scallan.

Handler Sean Doyle said: “She’s owned by Patrick O’Sullivan from Listowel, his son Pat works with me and he does all the work with her so, I’m absolutely delighted for them. She stayed on well, the experience probably won it for her, she had a slow jump at the third last, and we got caught back a little further than we wanted, but she’s game and tough. She’s like a mare that will win a winners’ race, she has plenty of experience.”

Success in the Keating Horse Transport five-year-old geldings’ maiden went the way of Denis Murphy courtesy of Beatthebullet, who ran out a two and a half-length winner over the Sean Doyle-trained Whatabouttime denying Doyle a double in the process.

Carrying the colours of London based-owner Alan Harte, the winning son of Flemensfirth returned to action just two weeks after falling at the third-last in Damma House.

“He deserved that; it was a competitive little race. He has more ability than his form shows. We’ll hold on to him now, and he’ll go for a winners race after Christmas,” said Murphy.

Wexford handler Ellen Doyle enjoyed an across the card double, which saw her combine with rider Jack Foley to take the Inish Pebble Company Ltd older maiden when Acceptable Risk stormed home to defeat Knockinroe second Call It Time by five lengths.

The son of Beat Hollow, who was runner-up on his previous points start at Lisronagh two weeks earlier, stepped-up from this performance to get the measure of his rivals in the five-runner contest.

“He’s a lovely horse, he just fell by the wayside. We bought him a few years ago and he’s just had a few little niggly problems since. He’ll step up to winners company now and will stick at that for the rest of the season now,” said the winning handler.