Acebo clocks up win no. 5 in mares open

Crrigeen Acebo is providing the Lalor family from outside Clonmel with some tremendous sport this season and the seven-year-old recorded her fifth consecutive point-to-point success of the campaign by winning a thrilling mares’ open at yesterday’s Cloyne Harriers meeting at Dromahane.

Carrigeen Acebo (4/5), trained by Dick Lalor for his wife Anne and partnered by the couple’s daughter Liz, was always well positioned and she was challenged by Ballyadam Dancer from three out. The latter weakened from the penultimate obstacle as a pair of more potent dangers emerged in the form of Isourbell and Saddlenomore on the run to the last. Runner-up Isourbell actually led away from this final fence, but the hooded Carrigeen Acebo fought back determinedly on the inner to lead in the shadow of the post with a head separating her from Sheila Ahern’s mount in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

“We will stick to points for the time being and we will run her hopefully on the racecourse when the points are over,” said handler Lalor of the homebred Carrigeen Acebo.