Report | Cragmore 15th February 2020

Ground conditions were quite testing at Saturday’s Cragmore fixture, run under the auspices of the Stonehall Harriers, and the Colin Bowe-trained filly Brandy Love impressed by handing out a decisive beating to her male rivals on debut in the two-and-a-half mile Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old maiden. 

Brandy Love, a late May-foaled daughter of Jet Away, disputed the running for Barry O’Neill until edging ahead from three out and she effortlessly got on top approaching the second last to dismiss Just A Dime by eight lengths.

Bowe said of Brandy Love, a €15,000 graduate of the 2019 Goffs Land Rover sale that’s already a sister to three winners: “She is smart sort and Barry [O’Neill] said that she would have gone around again.”

21-year-old Susie Doyle, who has recently embarked on an internship at Tattersalls Ireland, partnered her initial winner of the season aboard her father Pat Doyle’s Reigning Supreme in the Kerry Agri and Fitzsinage Printers open.

The nine-year-old Reigning Supreme, who placed on four out of his five previous starts this term, overtook the frontrunning B L Swagger before two out to dismiss Sam Curling’s charge by a widening eight lengths.

“He’s a great spin for Susie and he’s a classy horse on his work at home. He loves this loose ground and he will run away in points,” said Pat Doyle of Reigning Supreme, a former three-time winner for Nicky Henderson.

Johnny Barry, fresh from his 150th points success at Tallow, teamed up with Shane Hassett to collect the Heineken five-year-old geldings’ maiden aboard newcomer Magnificent Ben.

The Sans Frontieres-sired Magnificent Ben took command from the final fence to see off Bourbon Street by two lengths.

“He’s a fine, big staying chaser type that will improve from the run,” said the Dundrum, Co Tipperary-based handler of his sister Kate Hassett’s Magnificent Ben.

Eoin Doyle’s newcomer Ardera Ru made a winning debut in the Gouldings and High Design Askeaton five-year-old mares’ maiden.

The Fame And Glory-sired Ardera Ru was left in command when long-time leader Caletta Storm, whom she was upsides with at the time, fell two out.

Ardera Ru, owned by Doyle’s wife Gemma Murphy, duly beat Sunshine Beach by five lengths under Cathal Healy.

Doyle’s representative Michael Butler said: “Ardera Ru was bought as a three-year-old and we’ve always thought of her as a nice mare. If she’s not sold, she will go for a bumper and it’s great to give Cathal a winner as he works very hard in the yard at home.”

The Paul Power-trained/ridden Awesome Lady attained due reward for her consistency, having finished second on three previous occasions, by winning the Rusal Aughinish & PJ Dore LTD six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

The grey Awesome Lady was always positioned at the head of affairs and, having been headed before two out, she asserted on the flat to beat Dungarvan runner-up Peggy Gordon by two and a half lengths. Awesome Lady is owned and bred by Ger Langan from Kilmacow.

The meeting’s landowner John Costello supplied his 18-year-old son Conor, a first-year business student at LIT, with a second winner courtesy of ex-British track performer Heydour in the Stonehall Harriers & Adare Heritage six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Heydour, placed five times over hurdles and fences for Mick Channon, led from five out and he held on grimly to deny The Bonny Boy by two lengths with the pair being the only finishers from the six runners that set out.

The Bonny Boy is trained by the elder Costello’s brother Tony and was ridden by the latter’s son Tom.

“My brother Tom originally sold Heydour and his form has been mainly on good ground in the UK, “He will give Conor more experience during the season,” said Costello senior of Heydour, who is now owned by his mother Josephine, who was present at the meeting.