IRISH POINTING
WEEKLY REVIEW BY DECLAN PHELAN Week Seven - Tallow and Belharbour (10/2/2002) |
Two meetings were held this weekend at Tallow in West
Waterford & a new venue at Belharbour in County Clare. Tallow The opening confined hunt was the weakest race of the day,
but the locals were not complaining after Jimmy Mangan's See More Hicks (7
Seymour Hicks) just held off the persistent challenge of Sean Aherne's
mare Davs Delight (7 Be My N) at the generous odds of
7/2. The beaten favourite was Liam Burke's Catchmeifyoucan (6 Glac Storm),
a faller at the ninth when ridden along. The winner will struggle to add
to this success, but the second should win an older mares maiden. The
other horse worth noting was Dante's Money (8
Phardante-Maid Of Money), which had a nice pop around to take 4th,
and would be interesting at maybe Lismore point in 3 weeks. The second race was an interesting 5 year old maiden, with
Pat Doyle's Lord Who (Mr
Lord) & Enda Bolger's Shady Lad (Aahsaylad)
sharing favouritism at 2/1. Both were in the van throughout, and
approaching the third last, 5 were covered by 3 lengths. Lord Who &
newcomer Wild Edgar (Invited)
were both cantering when falling independently, as did Look
Between Us (Lucky Guest), who was just feeling the pace. This
left the hard ridden Shady Lad to fight it out with Paul Cashman's Canterbury
Jack (Supr Leader), and J T McNamara had to work overtime to get
the verdict on Shady Lad. The winner would not be the fastest thing on four legs, but
does jump well and should be placed to collect a winners contest, at a
venue like Killaloe in the coming weeks. Canterbury Jack was stepping up
considerably on his point debut run at Lisgoold and with the same level of
improvement can break his duck. Unlucky fallers Lord Who & Wild Edgar
look morals for maiden successes. Lord Who has now fallen on both outing
but can set the record straight fairly quickly. Wild Edgar could
be very good. Of the also rans, John Berry's pair had mixed fortunes, Oyster
Shell (Be My N) a good looker slipped up at halfway,
and Lawrence T (Elbio) ran out of steam early. Michael Cullen's Summer
Camp, a nice son of Corrouge, hinted at ability, as did Lord
Of Illusion (Mr Lord), who faded after a prominent
showing for two miles. The might with time make into a very good
chasing type. Incidentally Shady Lad was providing Aaysaylad with his
first winner, and coincidentally that stallion is based just a few
miles from the Tallow track. The Powers 6 year old qualifier was divided. The first
division featured a successful gamble on Paul Cashman's grey By
Degree (Roselier) (12/1 to 4/1). Market leader Glenduff
Bridge (6/4 to 7/2) fell 6 from home, but at that stage By Degree
was in front, and despite being slow at his fences, he maintained his
advantage until the home turn. Poor Tactics (Commanche
Run) was brought from the back with a patient run, and challenged By
Degree on the approach to the final fence, but By Degree had too much toe
for him on the run in. Jonjo Walsh's Nickel Creek (Phardante,
brother to Keano) ran a promising third. Paul Cashman reported that By
Degree, unusually for a Roselier, would be seen to better effect on good
ground, and felt that he was good enough to win a bumper. The second division looked weaker, and the laurels went
to Paul Nolan's Mister Bruce (Over
The River) who battled bravely to just outstay American Paddy (Phardante).
The well-backed favourite Ashstorm (Glacial
Storm)(4/1 to 2/1) was travelling strongly in the lead when taking a soft
fall at the 8th fence, and is sure to gain compensation. John Berry's
pair of newcomers Boom Economy ( Black Monday) & Boys Hurrah (
Phardante, 1/2 brother to Strong Deel) showed little, both pulled up on
the final circuit. Sober Performance (8
Bruff Crozier) (3/1) blitzed the opposition in the open, making all, and
never in danger at any point. Liz Doyle's exciting front-runner, has
a few kinks, but was recording his third victory of 2002, the second horse to
record such a feat. Recent Dungarvan winner The Lios (9 King Luthier) (6/4 fav) also
made all in the Winners of 1, his only hairy moment came when he survived
a bad mistake at the 3rd last. Jubileeman (6 Mandalus)
was a clear second, but chasing in vain, when falling at the second last,
but he looks up to winning one of these contests. Clearly In
Motion (5 Clearly Bust) ill at ease on the tacky ground,
eventually gained the second spot. Racing concluded with two divisions of the 5/6 year old mares
maiden. In the first division the hard pulling Chione
(6 Mandalus) looked all at sea on this left handed track,
and ran out at the fifth when challenging Lady Molean (6
Ashmolean) for the lead. Lady Molean then established a big lead, but was
tiring entering the final 1/4 mile, and Dead
Right Too (5 Good Thyne) came from the rear with a
wet sail, to lead close home. Acumen (6 Phardante,
sister to Albemarle) caught the eye in third. The favourite Dellaheena
Lass (6 Safety Catch) (9/4) fell at the 3rd. There was a highly controversial conclusion to the second
division. Kennedy's Lass (6
Husyan) & Deise Rose (5 Glacial Storm) fought out a good
battle over the last two fences, with Kennedy's Lass gaining the verdict
by a half length or more. However the judge did not think so, and to the
absolute amazement of all, he announced Deise Rose the winner by a neck.
This was the poorest judging decision seen for a number of
years. The only crumb of comfort for connections of Kennedy's Lass is
that in most people's eyes, the next time she runs, she will be a winner
running in a maiden event, and is bound to be very heavily supported. Horses in red considered
future winners Tallow- 3 & 1/4 circuits,15 fences, left handed. Going
Heavy, tacky in places. 1-Confined Maiden (5yr+) 2-Geldings Maiden 5 Yr Only 3A-Geldings Maiden 6 Yr Only--Powers Qualifier---Div 1 3B-Geldings Maiden 6 Yr Only---Powers Qualifier---Div 2 4-Open 5-Winners Of 1 6A-Mares Maiden 5/6 Yr Old ---Div 1 6B-Mares Maiden 5/6 Yr Old ----Div 2 Belharbour Punters had a good start when Denis Quinn's Tommy
Casur(6 Mr Lord) (2/1 to 6/4) had an easy win in the confined
maiden. His market rivals Work Away Horse & Woodyouever both ran
out in the event. The class horse of the day was on view in the first division
of the 5/6 maiden, when Tom Costello's Over
The Storm(5 Over The River) (5/2 to 5/4) won without
breaking sweat. This 5 year old had run out on its debut back in October, but
provided Tony Costello with an armchair ride. It would be difficult to
gauge his long term worth on this run, but he can at least collect a
winners event. The runner up Equivocal (6 Roselier) ran a
fine race for trainer Ger Hourigan and should have little difficulty
finding a small race. The second division was won by Before I Forget (6 Broken
Hearted) given a clever front running ride by trainer Andrew Younghusband,
in the end just lasting home from fast finishing Robbie
Junior (6 Weld) representing the Eric McNamara stable. The
disappointment of the race was the well-backed favourite Hidden
Weapon (4/1 to 5/4) from the Hassett camp which failed to
handle the testing conditions. The most dramatic finish of the day was in the first division
of the older horses maiden. Asabache (7 Alphabatim) set out to make all,
but was tiring on the approach to the last, at the same time Muscadier
(7 Roselier) was finishing very strongly and looked set to score.
Asabache arrived at the last fence just in front of Muscadier, but ducked
out and refused, and in the process baulked Muscadier who lost his rider.
Remote 3rd Buy A Bundle then walked out through the fence and came to a
standstill, but managed to trot over the line in front of the only
other completer Beggars Bridge. Timpeall An Ti (7
Ikdam) came from last to first to win division two impressively for
trainer Billy Flavin, father of jockeys Des and Ron. This horse might do
well in UK points. Second home Large Attraction (7
Good Thyne) can be found a winning opportunity in similar class. The Hassett family were among the winners when their mare Nana
Max (6 Be My Native) notched an easy win in the 5/6 mares
maiden. The favourite here Paddy's Girl (5
Aristocracy) challenged strongly at the second last, but folded tamely to
finish fourth, but might be worth another chance in less testing
conditions. Belharbour--3 circuits,15 fences, left handed. Going Heavy. 1-Confined Maiden 5Yr+ 2A-Geldings Maiden 5/6 Yr Old ---Div 1 2B-Geldings Maiden 5/6 Yr Old---Div 2 3A-Geldings Maiden 7 Yr+ ----Div 1 3B-Geldings Maiden 7 Yr+ -----Div 2 4-Open 5-Mares Maiden 5/6 Yrs Only 6-Mares Maiden 7 Yrs+ |