Hassett double at ‘local’ meeting

BRIAN HASSETT kept his many supporters happy by partnering a double at his local Co Clare Hunt point-to-point meeting at Dromoland yesterday.

Hassett initiated his two-timer aboard Jason Titley’s One Cool Cookie (7/4) in the opening four and five-year-old geldings maiden.

The four-year-old One Cool Cookie powered to the front after the third last of the 14 obstacles and seemed to have Cul An Ghabhainn’s measure when that one departed the scene at the second last. One Cool Cookie ultimately beat newcomer Eight Fifty Six by 20 lengths.

Hassett (29) doubled-up aboard his father Donie’s Joe McHugh (2/1-6/4) in the six and seven-year-old geldings maiden. Hassett though had to work hard to attain this success as it was by a hard-fought two lengths that Joe McHugh mastered the front-running Black Bandit.

Joe McHugh is owned by Ennis building contractor Brian McCarthy and is a half-brother to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ top chaser Fundamentalist.

Derek O’Connor teamed-up with John Brassil to take the winners’ of one with Christdalo (6/4-evens). Runner-up to the progressive Oscar Orange on her previous start at Knockanard, Christdalo assumed command from two out to see-off John Long’s Hardy Fella by four lengths. She could now contest a bumper at Gowran Park’s hunter chase/point-to-point raceday on April 6th.

The Cul An Ghabhainn combination of trainer Sean Aherne and rider Paul Tobin won the four and five-year-old mares maiden with Sheebadiva (5/2).

A fine third on her previous outing at Lismore, Sheebadiva took-up the running before the last to repel fellow four-year-old Spring Vision by a dozen lengths. Sheebadiva is owned by John Hosford from Rathcormac and is closely related to Duhallow Lodge.

Niall Kelleher brought the patiently-ridden Cappa Supreme (10/1) with a well-timed challenge to triumph from Makemtakeit in the six-year-old and upwards mares maiden.

Newmarket-On-Fergus-based Ger Hannon meanwhile rode his initial career winner aboard Synefour (7/1) in the confined hunt nomination race. Synefour, despite tiring noticeably on the approach to the last, still maintained the momentum to oblige by three and a half lengths from Caryvo.