O’Sullivan off the mark on Hollinwell

Eoin O’Sullivan (17) will treasure fond memories of yesterday’s Kilkenny Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Grennan Castle outside Thomastown as he partnered his initial career winner aboard his father Eugene’s The Hollinwell in the open lightweight.

The Hollinwell (2/1), who cruelly unseated the teenager at the final fence when virtually assured of success at Lemonfield the previous Sunday, always travelled with purpose as initially Mountain Pride and then the mare Isourbell took the five runners along. The victorious son of Classic Cliche, a former four-time track victor for Ferdy Murphy, could be called the most likely winner from the penultimate of the 15 obstacles and he eased into the lead at the final fence to beat the admirable Isourbell by a snug two lengths. The odds-on Backstage doesn’t seem quite the force of old and he returned a further one-length adrift in third spot.

An understandably-elated O’Sullivan senior divulged: “This horse was bought specifically at Doncaster earlier this year for Eoin to ride in opens and he was recommended to me by Harvey Smith.”