On an afternoon that saw testing conditions at Knockmullen House, Blackwater-based handler Denis Murphy celebrated his first four-year-old success of the year following the victory of Brooksway Fair in the Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old maiden under Jamie Codd.
The son of Mahler was upsides with Orby’s Legend on the approach to the final fence and pulled clear on the flat to score by two lengths, with the pair being the only finishers from the ten runners that set out.
“Three miles won’t be a problem to him, but he just jumps and travels so slick that we thought the two and a half wouldn’t be a problem to him. He’ll go straight to the sales but there is still massive improvement in him – he could be nice,” said Murphy
Glendruid vindicated the promise of his third-placed effort at Balllycrystal when landing the Cooney Furlong six-year-old geldings’ maiden to provide Colm Murphy with his second points success of the season.
Jimmy O’Rourke guided the son of Beneficial to an impressive ten-length victory while carrying the colours of owner Paul McKeon.
“He settled well today. I imagine that if he is not sold, he could go back for a bumper. He works like a bumper horse,” said Murphy.
Third at Ballycrystal on his previous outing, the Philip and Orla Hore-owned Walking the Walk reeled in the long-time leader Fully Authorized on the home bend, to deny runner-up Unit Sixtyfour by two lengths when capturing the Arctic Tack Stud five-year-old geldings’ maiden in the hands of Shane O’Rourke.
Winning handler Johnny Berry said: He’s a nice horse. He finished third at Ballycrystal two weeks ago and he finished tired. He jumps great and travels well. He will probably go to the sales next and we will move him on if we can.”
The Kieran Roche-handled newcomer Home Farm House put in a better jump at the second-last to forge clear of Honest Opinion and then overcame a mistake at the last, to see off Megan’s Marvel by three lengths in the Nitrofert five-and-six-year-old mares’ maiden under James Walsh.
Six-horse handler Kieran Roche said: “She’s owned by a couple of friends in England – Bart and Harrison Beswick. She’s a nice mare, she works well, and she’ll probably be offered for sale now. Harrison is actually an amateur rider in Britain. It’s the first owned pointer that they have had.”
Vinnies Nephue, who had struck for the William Murphy and Moira McElligott husband and wife combination at the same venue in November, once again found success at Knockmullen House when scoring in the Ballywalter Farms winner-of-three contest by a widening 20 lengths.
“He needs better ground than what he got at Limerick at Christmas. There could be a big day in him. We’ll see what comes up and try to keep my wife riding winners! I think she’s the joint leading lady now, and she gave him a great ride. We’ll probably try and go down the hunters’ chase route if we can at all,” said Murphy.
Mr Cosmos came out on top in the Horse & Hound Hotel seven-year-old and upwards maiden for novice riders, in what proved to be a grief-stricken affair, as the William McLernon-trained gelding was the only finisher in the race out of 11 starters.
Mclernon said: “He has been consistent for his last three or four runs, so he deserved that. We got a bit lucky but it’s all about jumping also. We might look at a hunter chase for him.”
