Kenny breaks his duck on home track

HORSE RACING: Ormond Hunt Point to Point

Large crowds attended last weekend’s two-day Ormond Foxhounds’ end-of-season point-to-point fixture held on the Cahalan Family farm in Ballingarry.

This meeting is always very popular and well-attended and the organisers were blessed with beautiful weather for what proved to be very exciting racing.

The Cahalan family are wonderful hosts and the track was in superb condition, with an excellent covering of grass despite the very severe winter we encountered. As always, Morgan Cahalan was on-hand to welcome everyone and he was pleased with the turnout for this year’s renewal.

Reflecting on an what was a hectic 48 hours, the patriarch of the racing-mad Cahalan clan said: “We’ve had a brilliant couple of days, I couldn't be happier with how things have gone.

“A lot of hard work goes into staging this fixture each year, it wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of the many, many volunteers that give so freely of their time. We are very lucky to have a great community here.”

Local man Scott Kenny’s first career success on Saturday afternoon was a particular highpoint for Morgan on what was a terrific weekend of sport.

“I thought Scott’s first winner was just as good as it gets. His family are steeped in the Ormond Hunt and he got a huge reception. His dad, John, is currently chairman of the hunt while his mom, Linda, is also actively involved.

“I’m old enough to remember Fairymount, trained by Tom Kenny, winning the 1971 La Touché at the Punchestown Festival. He was the last genuine half-bred to win that race. The Kenny’s are a great racing family, it’s brilliant to see Scott carrying on that tradition,” he added.

Saturday

The loudest cheer of what was a balmy Saturday afternoon was reserved for local jockey Scott Kenny following his first-ever success in the saddle aboard the Enda Bolger-owned-and-trained evens-favourite In Excelsis Deo in the open lightweight.

Prominent from the off, this bay son of Saddex showed strong reserves of stamina when staying on best in the closing stages to hold off the determined effort of Ken Budds’ Act Of God by three-and-a-half-lengths.

A large crowd of well-wishers greeted the popular winner as he returned to a rapturous reception in the coveted number-one spot.

Winning trainer Bolger wasn't present having recently undergone hip-replacement surgery, but an ecstatic 19-year-old Kenny said: “It’s just brilliant to ride my first winner here in Ballingarry, our home house is just five minutes from the track. I'm thrilled, my mom and dad are here, it’s very special.

“I’ve taken time out from college and I've been with Enda (Bolger) just shy of twelve months. He has been fantastic to me. I'm learning loads there. I'm determined to give race-riding a proper go, so it’s onwards and upwards from here I hope.”

Holycross rider Pa King did punters a good turn when bringing well-backed mare Dolly Burrin (5/1-2/1 favourite) home in front in the five-year-old mares’ maiden.

Owned and trained in Carlow by Willie Murphy, this daughter of Maxios - pulled up on her debut six weeks earlier in Curraghmore - went off in front. Travelling best sweeping of the home bend, King’s mount found plenty at the business end when staying on strongly to beat Colin Bowe’s Hello Below by two lengths.

“This is a very good mare and she showed that today,” revealed Murphy.

“We had a terrible problem with rapeseed oil growing near our stable, we had to move our horses to Francis Flood’s yard in Grangecon because of it. I’d like to give Francis a big shout for letting us use his place, we’d have been in real trouble otherwise.

“Rapeseed affects a horse’s breathing and it definitely stopped this mare first time out. Pa gave her a super ride today. I think she’s very good, we’ll probably take her to the point-to-point sale in Tattersalls next Thursday.”

Derek O’Connor has had a memorable season and he had the pleasure of both training and riding a winner.

The iconic Galway native donned his trainer’s hat to good effect when saddling Beluga Lagoon (11/2) to claim the four-year-old auction maiden.

Having unseated in Loughrea six days earlier, Beluga Lagoon - in the silks of his trainer’s wife Carol O’Connor - was ridden by Kildare jockey Billy Coonan.

On the sharp end from flagfall, the Valirann-sired winner kicked on three out and showed good resolve to see off newcomers Sea Memories by a length-and-a-half.

“This horse is not too bad and I blame myself for what happened last Sunday. I gave Billy (Coonan) the wrong instructions, that was my fault.

“At least we got it right today, we let him bowl along and he jumped much better. I'm delighted to give Billy a winner. He’s with me for three years and is a really hard worker.

“He comes in first thing every morning and was doing a business degree in college in the afternoons as well. He’s a good lad, not afraid to get stuck in either, he has a bright future that fella.”

An hour later, O’Connor was back in the winner’s enclosure following his success aboard Sam Curling’s Back To Sea in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Sent off 7/4 favourite to atone for an unlucky unseat at the final fence in a Bartlemy maiden 13 days before, Back To Sea, owned by Margaret Cahill from Kilkenny, made no mistake this time around when sauntering to a very comfortably eight-length victory over Paul Power’s eye-catching newcomer Coreopsis.

This was a very significant success for Cashel-based Curling who was recording his 47th training success of the season, thus equaling the record for highest number of winners trained in a season.

Curling divulged: “We’ve had a brilliant season and I'm thrilled to have equalled the record. Our horses have been running well all year, it’s all down to our owners and the staff at home, it’s very much a team effort.

“Back To Sea is a smart horse, I'm very happy for his owners, they're great people to train for. Derek was cool as a breeze on him, what can we say about that man, he’s the best ever sure.”

Cormac Byrne is a rider going places and the Wexford man wrapped up the John Thomas McNamara Qualified Riders Series when landing the concluding winners’ race for Novice riders aboard 6/4 joint-favourite GatherThe Facts.

Donnchadh Doyle trains this Monbeg Syndicate-owned Jukebox Jury-sired gelding - who was the only maiden in the six-runner line-up - and his decision to take on previous winners was fully justified.

Byrne sent his mount to the head of affairs two out and the pair were not to be caught when forging clear to see off runner-up Roman Parish by four lengths.

Sean Doyle, representing his absent brother Donnchadh, revealed: “It’s great for Cormac. That’s his seventh winner of the season. He’s a nice lad, works hard and does a good bit of schooling for all of us. This horse will be sold now.”

Racing got underway with a four-year-old mares’ maiden where the Thomas Byrne-owned and trained 8/1 outsider Sam Smoke did the business in good style under jockey Shane Cotter.

A daughter of Scorpion, Cotter’s mount displayed a nice turn of foot in the closing stages to deny Rob James’ Poster Lady by three-parts-of-a-length.

The winning rider stated: “I rode this mare the last day she ran in Tattersalls and I thought she was nice. I knew she’d been held up with a bit of rapeseed near the yard before then and it definitely set her back. She was bang on today.”

Part-owner Adam Busher added: “I bought her as a foal in Tattersalls and we've always liked her. She fell first time out in Lingstown and wasn't right the last day.

“Thomas (Byrne, trainer) isn't here today as he plays football with Wexford and they're on their way to Fermanagh for a match there tomorrow. He'll be delighted, it’ll be a nice phone call to get!”

Sunday

Sam Curling rounded off what has been an incredible campaign for the Cashel handler when breaking the record for the number of winners trained in a single season courtesy of a double on a sun-kissed Sunday afternoon.

Curling went into the final day on the 47-winner mark - sharing the long-held record with Kinsale trainer Robert Tyner - but quickly went in front as his Derek O’Connor-ridden Time In A Bottle recorded an emphatic all-the-way success in the mares’ winners of three contest.

Soon at the head of affairs, the 5/4 favourite never saw another rival as the six-year-old staved off all challengers to beat Colin Motherway’s Queen Of The Gales by four lengths.

“I’m delighted to have set a new record and to do it with a horse owned by John O’Leary who is one of our most loyal supporters is fantastic,” divulged the winning trainer.

“She’s a fine mare and enjoyed herself out in front. Derek (O’Connor) set a lovely tempo from the off and she jumped super all the way. The bit of nice ground was a big bonus to her also.”

Some thirty minutes later all-conquering Curling greeted his 49th winner of the season following the success of his Nicole Lockhead-Anderson-ridden even-money favourite Routine Excellence in the open lightweight for Lady Riders.

Seven went to post here with Curling’s charge digging deep on the run-in to hold off the persistent challenge of Ray Hurley’s Cork raider Ciel De Neige by three lengths.

Curling said: “It’s a super way to round off what has been a hugely successful season. I'm thrilled for Nicole, she is big part of our team and is going to be crowned Champion Lady Rider with 13 wins this season which is a terrific achievement for her.

Cork rider William Verling was seen to good effect when bringing Roisin Hickey’s runner Champagne Order (11/2) home in front in the six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Third on his most recent start at Lisronagh, this Order Of St George-sired gelding stuck his neck out gamely off the home bend to score by three-and-a-half-lengths from Proud As Punch.

Ms Hickey owns and trains the winner at her Clonmel yard. Her husband Thomond O’Mara reported: “We didn’t think it would take this fella till now to win his maiden as he’s a nice horse. He did have a good run the last day and was a tad unlucky at Curraghmore before that where he unseated when just getting into the race.

“Willian (Verling) gave him a good ride to be fair to him. I've been busy all week at the Breeze-Up sales so it’s a grand way to finish off the season.”

Wexford trainer Mick Goff was in good spirits following the victory of his Matt Graham-ridden Craan Rose (7/4 favourite) in the six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

This was a humdinger of a race with the winner and eventual runner-up Wings In The Wind flashing past the winning post locked together. In the end, the Judge called Craan Rose called the winner by a short head.

A happy Goff disclosed: “I’m over the moon that this mare has put her head in front. She is a yard favourite, is very consistent and really deserved her day in the sun.

“She is owned by John Bailey from Craan, he runs a schooling grounds there. This mare is named after his late sister, Rose, so it’s an emotional day for him."

The opening four-year-old geldings’ maiden went the way of the Pat Farrell-trained 6/1 shot Midnight Mystique.

Kilkenny jockey Liam Whitty took the reins aboard this son of Falco who had his task eased when the challenging Mickey Viking came a cropper at the final fence.

His departure left Whitty’s mount in command and he strolled to a comfortable 12-length success over Masked Diamond.

Winning trainer Farrell is based in County Carlow and stable representative Keith Farrell divulged: “We felt this fella had a good chance today. He ran a nice race on his debut in Ballindenisk at the start of the month.

“He came on a lot for that as we hadn’t done much with him going there. We couldn't really gallop him all winter as the ground was so bad and he’s a fair horse. He might be offered for sale now.”

Templemore trainer Leslie Young saddled the final winner of the day as his James Sampson-ridden Orkneys Jack scored in the concluding seven-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

A very consistent sort, the Youmzain-sired 5/1 winner came out the right side of a ding-dong tussle with Brambles Five when pulling out more in the run-in to score by half-a-length.

Young, who trains the winner for his brother Adrian, remarked: “He was due to get one as he has been knocking on the door for a while. He’s been second three times, so it’s nice to see him finally put his head in front.

“He rated 90 over hurdles on the track and that’s probably where he’ll go next. He likes nice ground, so we’ll have a bit of fun with him over the summer.”