Double Island off the mark in effortless style

Remember the name Double Island.

That was the clear message emanating from yesterday’s extremely wet second stage of the two-day Ormond Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Ballingarry in north Co Tipperary, the closing fixture of the 2014/15 campaign, for the son of Turtle Island hinted that a bright track career lies in wait by effortlessly shrugging aside the opposition in the six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The hooded Double Island (3/1), runner-up on his most recent start at Athlacca, led from the third fence with his Tinahely-based owner/trainer John Walsh’s son James. The combination made the rest of the running and, although runner-up So Influential closed between the final two fences, Double Island still triumphed by two lengths. In a truly-run 16-runner race, there was a distance back to the third-placed finisher Ajijic.

“We’ve always thought a lot of this fellow and he will probably go for a bumper now, that’s provided that he’s not sold,” said the elder Walsh of Double Island, who traces back to Jodami and Home Farm.

Proceedings opened with the four-year-old geldings’ maiden and the Philip Dempsey-trained Tara Gig sprung a 10/1 surprise, much to the delight of the six bookmakers present. Tara Gig, who was equipped with cheekpieces, moved through to join issue with Woodfleet on the approach to the final fence. The winning son of Marienbard then asserted on the flat for Jamie Codd, who was having his only mount of the day, to beat Blackmill by two lengths.

Harry Kelly’s Twiss’s Hill (5/4 - 4/5)had little more than an exercise canter in the six-year-old mares’ maiden. Twiss’s Hill, placed on her two previous starts, eased to the front before four out and she was always in cruise control thereafter as she came home by a hard-held 16 lengths from Secret Serenade in the hands of Pa King. Twiss’s Hill will now be left off until the autumn.

Aaron Sinnott (19) from Enniscorthy had an afternoon to savour for he recorded his very first success aboard Co Louth-based handler Michael Rice’s mare Gem And I (4/1) in the closing eight-year-old and upwards novice riders’ maiden. Gem And I made progress off the pace from two out and she mastered Tradman on the approach to the final fence to score by five lengths.

Templemore native Tommy Brett (19) likewise rode his initial career winner, in his case aboard owner/trainer John Ryan’s Ballyadam Dancer (3/1) in the mares’ open. Ballyadam Dancer made virtually all the running and she powered clear after the penultimate obstacle to defeat favourite Oscar Day by a distance. Shauna Larkin partnered her initial winner of the season and her second in total by steering Ross Catha (2/1) to success in the winners of two. Ross Catha, a creditable third on his previous start at Necarne, made his way to the head of affairs at the second last and he held on grimly in the closing stages to deny Done En Dusted by a half-length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

Going:Soft

Goffs 4-Y-O Geldings’ Maiden of €800. 3 Miles

1) P Smith’s Tara Gig

ch g (Marienbard – Tropical Lilly) 11-9 Mr J J Codd

2) Cobajay Syndicate’s Blackmill

11-4 Mr R Deegan

3) T Keating’s Woodfleet

11-9 Mr P A King

11 ran. 2L, 1L, Dist. (Winner trained by J P Dempsey)

Seamus Malone & GLB Syndicate 6-Y-O Mares

’ Maiden of €800. 3 Miles

1) D H Kelly’s Twiss’s Hill

ch m (Acambaro – Mandy’s Magic) 11-11 Mr P A King

2) Ms E Gavin’s Secret Serenade

11-6 Mr A Murphy

3) J C Doyle’s Rosalen

11-6 Mr A J Doyle

11 ran. 16L, 18L, Dist. (Winner trained by David Harry Kelly)

Jimmy Neville Memorial 6-Y-O Geldings’ Maiden of €800. 3 Miles

1) J E Walsh’s Double Island

b g (Turtle Island – Kinsellas Village) 11-11 Mr J J Walsh

2) R W O’Connor’s So Influential

12-2 Mr B O Walsh

3) G P Crosse’s Ajijic

12-2 Mr D O’Connor

16 ran. 2L, Dist, 4L. (Winner trained by John Edward Walsh)

Liffey Mills Mares’ Open Lightweight of €1,000. 3 Miles

1) J P Ryan’s Ballyadam Dancer

b m (Revoque – Ballyadam Girl) 8-11-11 Mr T N Brett

2) Ms C Woods’ Oscar Day

7-11-11 Mr B M Linehan

3) W Logan’s Kinnacally

7-12-2 Mr P Power

5 ran. Dist, 12L, 18L. (Winner trained by John Patrick Ryan)

Bike Park Ireland & Fairymount Farm Winners Of Two of €800. 3 Miles

1) M Larkin’s Rosc Catha

b g (Saddlers Hall – Sweet Nothing) 10-11-11 Miss S Larkin

2) R Rothwell’s Done En Dusted

9-12-2 Mr J J Slevin

3) T Coughlan’s Shannon Fall

12-12-2 Mr B J Foley

6 ran. 1/2L, Dist, Nk. (Winner trained by Eoin Larkin)

8-Y-O & Upwards Novice Riders’ Maiden of €800. 3 Miles

1) Ms S M Rice’s Gem And I

(GB) b m (Generous – Whatagale) 9-12-2 Mr A Sinnott

2) T Cleary’s Tradman

8-12-2 Mr K J Quigley

3) D & M Doyle’s Redempion Island

8-11-11 Mr S Fitzgerald

13 ran. 5L, Dist, 6L. (Winner trained by Michael Rice)