Personal Space impresses in first victory for Old Persian

Image © Healy Racing

Personal Space supplied Old Persian with his first point-to-point winner in notable style, when she impressed in the Duninga Gallops four-year-old mares’ maiden at Borris House last weekend.

Bred by Diarmuid Forde and Donal O’Brien, the bay, who is a half-sister to track winners Anchor Man and True Or False, was bought by her handler, Gary Murphy, for €15,000 at last year’s Goffs Arkle sale.

That looks to be a particularly shrewd investment, after she cruised through her debut, jumping confidently from the front of the nine-strong field under Shane O’Rourke.

Making all of the running and jumping from fence to fence, she had her rivals under pressure on the run to the home straight, and with O’Rourke looking behind for dangers in between the final two fences, she was able to lengthen eight lengths clear of Colin Bowe’s Royal Response.

“She’s a gorgeous filly that I bought at the Land Rover [Arkle Sale] off the Bleahens,” Murphy reported. “We’ve loved her from day one, and her jumping is immense.

“The hardest part Shane had was slowing her down turning for the hill. He said she just locked back on to the bridle. She’s a proper one.

“She did a piece of work at Monksgrange not long ago and came down the straight with nice Henry de Bromhead horses around her.”

Personal Space was just a third ever point-to-point runner for Old Persian, with Persian Place hinting at what was to come when he was the first four-year-old maiden runner for the Rathbarry Stud resident last month.

He finished a close third at Knockanard for Paul Cashman, before being snapped up by Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for £105,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham February sale.

Already a hit in the sales ring, there is sure to be more to come on the track, with in-form Sam Curling, Ian McCarthy and Stuart Crawford among the other handlers to have hunter certed four-year-olds by the former Dubai Sheema Classic winner.