IRISH POINTING WEEKLY REVIEW
BY DECLAN PHELAN
Week Five - Dungarvan, Ballon and Nenagh  (27/1/2002)

This week we had three Sunday meetings.

Dungarvan
Dungarvan staged the Cork/Waterford circuit meet. The ground was very testing on a wet and windy day.

The opening 5 year old maiden appeared a 2 horse race according to the ring, with the Pat Doyle trained newcomer Lord Who (Mr Lord)  (2/1-4/5) just favoured over the Costello debutante Sporting Man (Insan) (1/1-2/1). In a disappointing race Lord Who was lying in second when falling at the 7th. Sporting Man took the lead at the fifth last, and strolled clear thereafter  to win unchallenged. The Cashman newcomer Wayward Magic (Magical Strike) ran OK to take third on unsuitable ground. The winner Sporting Man is a fine strapping chasing sort, and it was not his fault that the opposition were not up to much. He looks a real long term chasing prospect, built in the mould of former Costello inmate Florida Pearl, he is one of the best long term prospects seen so far in 2002.

The second race was a very competitive mares maiden with two mares who had good recent runs featuring at the head of the betting market. Dellaheena Lass & Cush Jewel (both 9/4) were both inconvenienced by the testing conditions, but the winner Graineuaile (6M Orchestra) revelled in the mud to land a nice touch for connections (10/1-7/1). Dorneys Double (5m Good Thyne) lost little in defeat and can go one better in the near future.

The Winners Of 1 was a weak affair, with the laurels going to the Mouse Morris trained Hurton (8 Glac Storm), whose long term future is in doubt as he was injured upon returning to the winners enclosure. Likewise The Lios (9 King Luthier) achieved little when making all in the confined maiden.

The Open was dominated by the joint favourites, with Davy Russell eventually plotting a clever victory on Liam Burke's Avondale Illusion (Satco),just outfoxing Brambledale.

Russell was heavily supported by punters to register a quick double in the closing race. He was on Demi O Byrne's newcomer Kirribilli  (7 Ex Perk,1/2 brother to Cottstown Boy) (6/4-2/5), and he was jumping like a stag and in complete control, when, he overjumped the third last and bit the dust. This left his three remote pursuers in control and After the Ball (7 Andretti) proved the chief beneficiary. 

Horse in red consider future winners. 

Dungarvan--3 circuits,15 fences,right handed. Going Heavy.

1-5 Year Old Geldings Maiden
1-Sporting Man---Tony Costello
2-Whyso Mayo
3-Wayward Magic                           8l,Dist. 9 Ran.

2-5/6 Mares Maiden
1-Graineuaile---D Murphy
2-Dorneys Double
3-Cush Jewel                                    1/2l,1l. 14 Ran.

3-Winners Of 1
1-Hurton---G Power
2-Curtins Hill
3-Bucringboy                                          1l,2l.  6 ran.

4-Confined Hunt Maiden  (5Yrs+)
1-The Lios---M Hartrey
2-Bally Aero
3-Chief Witness                                 Dist,Dist.  6 Ran. 

5-Open
1-Avondale Illusion---D Russell
2-Brambledale
3-Desertmore                                         4l,10l.  5 Ran

6-7 Year+ Geldings Maiden
1-After The Ball---M Keoghan
2-Keep The Keyes
3-Milamoss                                              21/2l,8l. 8 Ran. 

Ballon
The County Carlow venue of Ballon staged a very competitive card on Sunday with a total of ten races.

Liz Doyle's Sober Performance notched his second win of the season when making all, in the Ladies Open, just holding on, from fast finisher Good Glow. This was a race run at a fast pace, and the form should work out well. The winner a free running sort, may be interesting if dipped into a maiden hunter chase.Good Glow, a hunter chase winner last year, looks in good form, and may be up to winning more hunter's chases this year.Boonaboroo (6 Glac Storm,1/2 brother to Amberleigh House) from the Padge Berry yard was a big flop,after attracting heavy support (5/2-5/4).

The 6 year Geldings Maiden was divided and produced two very interesting prospects. Tony Martin collected the first division on his own Rosenca (En Calcat) which eased to the front 2 out and held on from game runner up Shackleton (Glacial Storm). This pair were a long way clear of the rest and both looked decent.They were also both making their debuts.

The second division was all about one horse,John Kelly (Husyan), who looked superb,when making all, for an eased down victory. This 6 year old trained by Pat Sinnott in Wexford, runs for owner John Brennan who has some very good track performers at the minute, best of whom is Badgers Wood, another former pointer.John Kelly was given a confident ride by Cathal Swords, but poor Cathal soon ran out of luck, as he broke his leg in a later race.Two to catch the eye were, Padge Berry's Flecthefawna (Glac storm) 4th, and Tony Martin's Catch A Grip, which was given an easy run, out the backdoor.

Halleys Comet (Roselier) won the mares race on home turf after a good recent run at Kilfeacle,but second Not So Green (Roselier), belied her name on this occasion,and can surely win next time.

The Open was divided, a little lopsidedly.

In the First Division, the stronger race, Northern raider William Ulsterman (9 Riverhead), just edged out Glenahary Rose & Apremont (9 Be My Native), in a driving finish. The latter is one to follow in opens & hunter chases.Blue Irish the fav in this race was a dismal flop.

The second division was won by the progressive mare Kerry's Cross (7 Phardante), who graduated to open company successfully. Third home Arthur Moore's Bit On The Hide (ridden by a Japanese jockey) ran with promise, and looks good to score at Punchestown point next month.

The closing race, division two of the older horses maiden was won by the Tony Martin trained/ridden Prince May (7 Houmayoun) which oozed class when scoring from Hotandcold (8 River God). Prince May is well regarded by the Tony Martin camp, and is definitely expected to make an impact on the track proper. The second will get compensation,and was unlucky to have run into such a decent opponent ,in a race of this nature 

Ballon---3 circuits,14 fences,left handed. Going Soft.

1-Ladies Open
1-Sober Performance---Liz Doyle
2-Good Glow
3-Tomogatchy                                    1/2l,20l.  13 Ran.

2A-6 Year Geldings Maiden  Div 1
1-Rosenca---Tony Martin
2-Shackleton
3-Good Idea                                         2l,Dist.   12 Ran

2B-6 Year Geldings Maiden  Div 2
1-John Kelly---C Swords
2-American Paddy
3-Leading Gossip                                   3l,3l.    12 Ran.

3-6 Year Mares Maiden
1-Halley's Comet---P Murphy
2-Not So Green
3-Tullywood Queen                                 5l,20l.   16 Ran.

4A-Open Div 1
1-William Ulsterman---B Hamilton
2-Glenahary Rose
3-Apremont                                                1l.nk.   12 Ran.

4B-Open Div 2
1-Kerry's Cross---John O Meara
2-What A Star
3-Bit On The Hide                                       4l,7l.   12 Ran.

5-5 Year Mares Maiden
1-Shesnotthelast---R O Sullivan
2-Whitefort
3-Markmywords                                         12l,Dist. 12 Ran.

6A-7/8 Year Geldings Maiden
1-Cassinari---A Fitzgerald
2-Dionn Righ
3-Sleek Sixteen                                              5l,3l.   18 Ran.

6B-7/8 Year Geldings Maiden
1-Prince May---Tony Martin
2-Hotandcold
3-Over The Urrin                                            3l,Dist. 17 Ran.

Nenagh
The going was very testing at Nenagh.

The most impressive winner of the day was the Donie Hassett trained Doora Volunteer (5 Big Sink Hope) which jumped for fun to win the 5 year old maiden. Enda Bolger's Shady Lad  (Aahsaylad), plugged on for second, a bad mistake 3 out, cost him his chance. The fav was John Halley's Freeby (Ex Perk), who failed to act in the conditions, and was pulled up.

Eugene O Sullivan's Tribal Run notched his third win of 2002 winning the Open from The Bean House, but the result may have been different, had not Epic Duel fallen 4 out when a big danger to all

Carrodown Storm  (6m Glac Storm) won the mares maiden, but the JT McNamara ridden Paddy's Girl had looked set for victory when falling 3 out.

However JT gained compensation later when he had a smooth success on the Mouse Morris trained/John Magnier owned Fota Island (6 Sup Leader).The well supported David Wachman newcomer Killiney Bay (6 Mr Lord) was an early casualty.

Nenagh---14 fences, left handed,a little under 3 circuits,about 3 mile 2 furlongs per race. Going very testing

1-Winners Of 1
1-A Good Mistake---J Conheady
2-Bigjames
3-Jubileeman                                   1/2l,4l. 11 Ran.

2-5 Yr Geldings Maiden
1-Doora Volunteer---B Hassett
2-Shady Lad
3-Amoreigh                                         4l,12l.  9 Ran.

3A-7 Yr+ Maiden
1-Grove Nettle---R Quinlan
2-Asabache
3-Autumn Mist                                   10l,10l.  16 Ran.

3B-7 Yr+ Maiden
1-Mons Dante---B Moran
2-Aughmor River
3-Out The Road                                   4l,1l.    15 Ran.

4- Open
1-Tribal Run---W O Sullivan
2-The Bean House                       2 Fin.      4l.   5 Ran.

5-5/6 Yrs Mares Maiden
1-Carrodown Storm---J Lalor
2-State Witness
3-Phar Too Generous                            6l,4l.   12 Ran. 

6A-6 Yr Geldings Maiden Div 1
1-Fota Island---J T McNamara
2-Johnyyouronlyjoken                   2 fin.   20l.    12 Ran.

6 B-6 Yr Geldings Maiden Div 2
1-The Kew Tour---M Grant
2-No Coward Soul
3-Alpha Gold                                             6l,10l.  11 Ran.