Kilquane Jack gets off mark in style

Pat Collins was the in-form rider at yesterday’s exceptionally well-attended Liscarroll point-to-point fixture, run under the auspices of the Duhallow Foxhounds, as he partnered a two-timer.

On an afternoon that witnessed 16-year-old Dara Healy singing the national anthem in the parade ring just before racing, Collins completed his brace aboard Terence O’Brien’s Kilquane Jack in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Kilquane Jack (12/1), having pulled up on his only previous start at Killeagh a little over two months earlier, always took the eye in running as Avant La Lettre and Lion Of Lackabane shared pacesetting duties.

The winning son of September Storm had just moved through to overtake newcomer Avant La Lettre, trained by Colin Bowe, when Rob James’ mount blundered at the final of the 13 obstacles.

Kilquane Jack then scorched clear on the flat to dispose of Avant La Lettre by seven lengths with a two-length break back to Knocknamona in third spot.

“Kilquane Jack is a horse that has always worked well, but it just took a while to get him going. I think that he’s a horse that will win a bumper and that’s where we will go next,” reported owner/trainer O’Brien who also captured this same race 12 months ago with subsequent dual victor winner Articulum.

Noel O’Neill’s Carraig Thuathail (5/2) initiated Collins’ brace in the preceding winners of one.

The seven-year-old Carriag Thuathail moved closer from three out, although leader Ruairis Cloud still appeared the most likely winner from the penultimate obstacle.

Carriag Thuathail however eroded the deficit on the approach to the last and he touched down in front here, then coasting clear on the run-in to score by three lengths.

O’Neill indicated that Carraig Thuathail, homebred by his wife Marie, will now contest a winners of two.

The 20 bookmakers present received a roasting when the Michelle Gannon-trained newcomer Judgement Day justified 5/4 favouritism (from 2/1) with Roger Quinlan in the opening four-year-old maiden.

Judgement Day, owned and bred by Frank Tobin from Dungarvan, struck the front on the inner after the bypassed penultimate obstacle.

Whilst running noticeably green off the turn-in before the last, the winning son of Martaline still beat Graystown by three lengths.

The physically-imposing Judgement Day will now be offered at Goffs UK sale after racing at Aintree on Thursday April 7th.

The layers once again came out on the wrong side when the Sean O’Brien-trained first-timer Johnnys Edge (5/4) vindicated his lofty home reputation in the closing six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the day in 15 runners.

The Beneficial-sired Johnnys Edge made practically all the running and, although headed by runner-up Hes Chancy after last, the 2013 Goffs Land Rover sale graduate fought back tenaciously for Ciaran Fennessy to get on top by a half-length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

William Cronin (27) from Doneraile, who has three track victories to his credit, rode his initial points winner aboard his uncle and godfather Paddy Cronin’s Pops Choice (5/1) in the six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

The hooded Pops Choice, runner-up on her comeback effort at Kildorrery last month, led from half-way and she stormed clear before the final fence to readily dispense with M’s Princess by five lengths in the silks of the elder Cronin’s sister Sheila Crowley, a retired schoolteacher from Mallow.

Derek O’Connor got on the scoresheet aboard the well-supported Silent Steps (2/1 – evens), trained by Pat Doyle for Roddy O’Byrne, in the five-year-old mares’ maiden.

Silent Steps, absent since falling at half-way on her career debut at Dromahane in late-October, made the best of her way home from three out to beat the hugely-promising Coillte Lass by five lengths.

Going:

Good

Goffs Bloodstock

Sales

4-Y-O Maiden

of €1,000. 3 Miles

1) F Tobin’s Judgement Day

b g (Martaline – Gaye Moscow) 11-10 Mr R P Quinlan

2) J G Fahey’s Graystown

11-10 Mr J C Barry

3) S Curling’s Alfred Roller

11-10 Mr D O’Connor

11 ran. 3L, 1L, 15L. (Winner trained by Michelle Gannon)

Topline Burtons, Kanturk 5-Y-O Mares

’ Maiden

of €1,000. 3 Miles

1) R O’Byrne’s Silent Steps

b m (Milan – Taking Silk) 11-10 Mr D O’Connor

2) M Twomey’s Coillte Lass

11-10 Mr C W Fennessy

3) G F O’Neill’s Queens Well

11-10 Mr R Deegan

14 ran. 5L, 4L, 5L. (Winner trained by P M J Doyle)

Sygma Automation

Winners

Of

One

of €1, 500. 3 Miles

1) N O’Neill’s Carriag Thuathail

b g (Indian Danehill – She’s So Dainty) 7-12-1 Mr P D Collins

2) J Kingston’s Ruairis Cloud

7-12-1 Mr D O’Connor

3) D E Finn’s Pairc Na Leasa

10-12-1 Miss M O’Sullivan

5 ran. 3L, 9L, Nk. (Winner trained by Noel O’Neill)

Exors of the late Dr R J Sheehy 5-Y-O Geldings

’ Maiden

of €1, 000. 3 Miles

1) T O’Brien’s Kilquane Jack

b g (September Storm – Moonwoman) 12-1 Mr P D Collins

2) Miss B Bowe’s Avant La Lettre

12-1 Mr R James

3) P J Hammond’s Knocknamona

11-10 Mr E M O’Sullivan

13 ran. 7L, 2L, 9L. (Winner trained by Terence O’Brien)

Collins Bros Garage

, Liscarroll

6-Y-O & Upwards

Mares

’ Maiden

of €1,000. 3 Miles

1) Mrs S Crowley’s Pops Choice

ch m (Beneficial – Bally Robin) 7-11-5 Mr W T Cronin

2) A Hickey’s M’s Princess

7-11-10 Mr M D Hickey

3) D G McCarthy’s Leila’s Island

6-11-10 Mr M J O’Connor

14 ran. 4L, 2L, 6L. (Winner trained by Patrick Cronin)

Maurice O’Brien Agricultural

Contractor

, Liscarroll

6-Y-O & Upwards

Geldings

’ Maiden

of €1,000. 3 Miles

1) Mrs C O’Brien’s Johnnys Edge

b g (Beneficial – Gleann Alainn) 6-12-1 Mr C W Fennessy

2) J O’Shea’s Hes Chancy

6-12-1 Mr E P O’Brien

3) C Duggan’s Pocket Talk

6-12-1 Mr D O’Connor

15 ran. 1/2L, 3L, 9L. (Winner trained by Sean O O’Brien)