King gives locals plenty of cheer

North Tipperary Foxhounds Point to Point Report

By Michael Duggan

Last Sunday’s North Tipperary Foxhounds' point-to-point fixture at Lisboney on the outskirts of Nenagh attracted a bumper crowd.

Clerk of the Course Peter McCutcheon’s farm was in excellent shape given all the recent poor weather, and, apart from one short-lived shower, it was quite a pleasant afternoon.

Local jockey Pa King was popular with punters following his victory aboard 5/2 favourite Le Boum Retourne in the winners’ race.

Successful in a Turtulla maiden five weeks earlier, Le Boum Retourne - owned & trained in Carlow by Willie Murphy - was dipping his toe into winners’ company for the first time.

Holycross rider King gave the successful son of Buck’s Boom a fine ride. Always up with the pace, the six-year-old showed strong reserves of stamina when staying on best in the closing stages to see off Sam Curling’s Depalma by two lengths.

King reported: “He did it well and handled the heavy ground. He is lightly raced and I liked him when I won on him last time out.

“He dug deep when he had to and won snugly enough at the line. Willie fancied him and it’s great when it works out. It’s always nice to ride a winner at one of my local tracks.”

The victorious trainer added: “We thought he had a serious chance and Pa gave him a superb ride. He is a nice horse and we'll take baby steps with him. I like to take these smart horses along at their own pace.

“He is from the family of good horses like Monbeg Dude and It’s On The Line, so we'll make sure he gets a chance to fill into his frame. We've no definite plans, but the novice Hunter's Chase at Tipperary later on in the spring might be a realistic target.”

Proceedings got underway with a competitive-looking four-year-old maiden with victory going to the Brian Lawless-trained and ridden 9/2 shot Jessber’s Jury.

The good-looking son of Jukebox Jury was held up in the early stages of this six-runner contest. Noted making ominous progress on the approach to the straight, Jessber’s Jury quickly took control when pulling clear in taking fashion to beat Colin Bowe’s Mon Abi Dab by ten lengths.

“He’s a smashing horse and we'd have been very disappointed if he wasn't in the shake-up,” revealed Wexford-based Lawless, who owns the winner in partnership with his girlfriend Abbie O'Connor and her brother, well-known trainer Mattie Flynn-O'Connor.

“We’ve liked this horse from day one - he cost €65,000 at last year’s Goffs Arkle Sale. Anything we asked him to do he did effortlessly and I’d say he’d be even more effective on a bit of nicer ground. He jumped well throughout. He’s for sale now.”

Ten went to post in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden where the long trek from his Antrim stables paid dividends for owner-trainer Stuart Crawford as his debutante Loughmourne (7/2) claimed the spoils.

Galway jockey Eoin Mahon took the reins aboard this Maxios-sired gelding who threw down the gauntlet to leader The Captain’s Word at the final fence. The two went head-to-head on the uphill climb to the line, with Crawford’s charge gaining the upper-hand close home to score by three lengths.

Victorious jockey Mahon - who was posting his eleventh winner of the season - divulged: “He’s pulled out plenty when needed and I was impressed with him. It’s tough work out there today and I’d say it was a good race.

“I’ve ridden a couple of winners recently for Stuart and he’s a very talented trainer. Stephen Connor usually rides for him, but he is on the sidelines at the moment. He put in a good word for me, so I’d like to thank him for that.”

Laura Costello only returned to the saddle recently having broken her collarbone in a fall at Fairyhouse last November and the Clare rider found the winner’s circle when giving 9/2 shot Trackman Tommy a confident ride to win the concluding older horses’ maiden.

Trained in Athenry by former jockey Tony Kelly for Galway businessman Declan Cunningham, Trackman Tommy went to the head of affairs three out. When his nearest pursuer Clonmeen Cross exited two out, this left Ms Costello’s mount in complete control with the pair coasting home to beat the only other finisher Derlbenomoreaboutdat by eight lengths.

“This horse had some decent runs on the track and a race like this was always on his radar,” revealed the successful trainer.

“Things didn’t go to plan his last couple of runs, but it all came together today. Laura was excellent on him and she is a big help to us. She rides out for us and is a really hard worker. We’ll probably go for a winners’ race with him now.”

The Lady Riders’ open lightweight was a cracking contest. David Christie’s record-breaking 37-time points winner Winged Leader went off 4/5 favourite under Georgie Benson, with his main market rival being the Aine O'Connor-ridden 5/4 shot Solitary Man.

The market leader set off in front and was still in pole position between the final two fences. Solitary Man was stalking him all the while, however, and once Ms O'Connor pressed the accelerator Enda Bolger’s inmate sprinted clear to beat Winged Leader by four lengths.

A delighted Bolger said: “I’m pleasantly surprised to be honest as I thought he mightn’t handle the heavy ground. Winged Leader is a really reliable yardstick and I knew he’d be a tough opponent.

“Aine was very clever on him, she found the best of the ground and that was crucial. She been riding for us nearly twenty years now. He loves going left-handed and that’s his third open success of the season.

“It seems like everybody is heading for the Hunter’s Chase at Cheltenham this year, but I’m not sure this lad will travel. We’ll see, maybe the Aintree equivalent might be a better option.”

Wexford brothers Paul & Andy Pierce are enjoying a fine run of it and they were on the mark in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden where their Blackhall Stables representative Lady Bam (7/2) did the business.

Sixth on debut at Dromahane in the final days of 2025, this Luke Murphy-ridden daughter of Getaway got the better of Sam Curling’s 4/6 favourite Boombox in the run-in to score by three lengths.

The winner stepped forward from her initial outing and looks an exciting prospect for the future.

“She is a decent mare and I knew she would be hard to beat here,” disclosed the victorious rider.

“Paul and Andy have been excellent to me; they’re a great combination. They are very shrewd and they fancied this mare. She had a lovely run first time and, with normal improvement, had to be there or thereabouts.”

RESULTS

Liam Buckley Car Sales four-year-old maiden. 3 miles.

1st - Abbie O’Connor’s Jessber’s Jury b g (Jukebox Jury - Jessber’s Dream) 11-11 Mr B Lawless.

2nd - Jet Bloodstock Partnerships Mon Abi Dab 11-11 Mr B O’Neill.

3rd - Monbeg Farm Racing Partnerships Mickos Max 11-11 Mr D Higgins.

6 Ran. Distance: 10L. 10L.

Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale five-year-old geldings’ maiden. 3 miles.

1st - S. Crawford’s Loughmourne b g (Maxios - Celestial Chimes) 12-2 Mr E Mahon.

2nd - Milestone Bloodstock Ltd’s The Captain’s Word 12-2 Mr B O’Neill.

3rd - Monbeg Syndicate’s Replonge 12-2 Mr A Harney.

10 Ran. Distances: 3L. 1.5L.

Carey Glass Winners Of One. 3 miles.

1st - William P Murphy’s Le Boum Retourne b g (Bucks Boum - Steeling Dollars) 6 12-2 Mr P A King.

2nd - Sam Curling’s Depalma 7 12-2 Mr D Doyle.

3rd - Colm Grant’s Occupational Force 7 12-2 Ms C Grant.

8 Ran. Distances: 2L. 1L.

Connolly’s Red Mills Ladies Open Lightweight. 3 miles.

1st - Mrs Paul Shanahan’s Solitary Man b g (Champs Elysees - Jenny Be Quick) 8 11-11 Ms A O'Connor.

2nd - S J Hegarty & Jennifer O’Kane’s Winged Leader 11-11 Ms G Benson.

3rd - Whacker Clan Syndicate’s Whacker Clan 11-11 Ms A Connolly.

4 Ran. Distances: 4L. 14L.

Tullamore Park Racing five-year-old & upwards mares’ maiden. 3 miles.

1st - Blackhall Stables Partnerships Lady Bam b m (Getaway - Catwalk Babe) 5 11-11 Mr L Murphy.

2nd - Sam Curling’s Boombox 5 11-11 Mr D Doyle.

5 ran. Only two finished. Distance: 3L.

Millerect Ltd six-year-old & upwards geldings’ maiden. 3 miles.

1st - Declan Cunningham’s Trackman Tommy b g (Notnowcato - Outback Ivy) 8 12-2 Ms L Costello.

2nd - Edmond Barry’s Derlbnomoreaboutit 6 12-2 Mr D M Russell.

5 ran. Only two finished. Distance: 8L.