Just A Par looks well above par

Kilavullen-based owner/trainer TJ Nagle appears to have an outstanding prospect on his hands in the form of Just A Par as the son of the Grand Lodge-sired stallion Island House destroyed the opposition under Richard O’Dea in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at yesterday’s well-attended Galway Hunt point-to-point fixture at Dartfield outside Loughrea.

Just A Par (6/4), an eye catching second on his initial outing behind Cecil Corbett at Dromahane last season, always travelled with purpose towards the head of affairs in this 14-runner contest and he eased through to pick up the running on the lengthy run between the final two fences. It was all plain sailing from here with the victorious bay duly accounting for ‘Shark’ Hanlon’s newcomer Rare Legend by a ridiculously easy six lengths in the style of a probable bumper winner. It’s worth recalling that subsequent Cheltenham festival winner Brindisi Breeze triumphed in a division of this same race 12 months ago.

Nagle was otherwise engaged at Limerick, but he later remarked by phone: “This fellow is a cracking horse and I’m told that Richard (O’Dea) gave him a very good ride today. He has been working with some of my good horses and we will probably go for a winners race with him now.”