Fingal lords it over rivals in maiden

Jim Dreaper appears to have a seriously-talented-prospect on his hands in the form of Lord Fingal who lit up Saturday’s Ward Union hunt point-to-point at The Folly outside Oldtown in north Co Dublin by coming home as he pleased in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

On an afternoon that saw many thinking of JT McNamara after his fall from Galaxy Rock at Cheltenham on Thursday afternoon, Lord Fingal (6/4 – 5/4) led or disputed the running practically throughout on the wide outside and the recent Knockanard runner-up experienced his only semi-anxious moment when erring at the fourth last of the 14 obstacles.

The giant-sized son of Brian Boru, bred by Jimmy Mangan, was soon back on an even keel and he powered clear on the approach to the final fence to account for Tom Mullins’ newcomer Fairy Island by a comprehensive seven lengths. By doing so, Lord Fingal was providing his talented 22-year-old rider Jamie Flynn from Swords with a tenth career success.