Sam Curling combines with Derek O'Connor to continue best ever point-to-point campaign
Derek O'Connor onboard KIMAI on the way to a win. Pic: Larry Cummins
Sam Curling is experiencing his best ever point-to-point campaign and the Shehanagh Stables operator extended his advantage at the head of this season’s handlers’ championship by combining with Derek O’Connor to record a two-timer at Sunday’s well-attended Killeagh Harriers fixture at Carrigarostig.
Wrappedupinmay (4/6) completed the pair’s double by booking his ticket for this season’s Cheltenham Foxhunters in the open.
The eight-year-old Wrappedupinmay created an extremely favourable impression by coming home as he pleased at Dromahane on December 30th and the victorious eight-year-old disputed the running on the outer with Bugs Moran here until edging ahead well before the third-last of the 15 obstacles.
Wrappedupinmay, a former dual track for Paul Nicholls, was well in command from the penultimate obstacle as he sauntered home with 11 lengths to spare over Macs Charm in the colours of the Mayhem In March Syndicate.
“He’s a proper horse that loves this soft ground and he’ll go straight to the Cheltenham Foxhunters," remarked Curling, also on the mark with Lord Desart at Sunday’s other fixture in Ballycrystal, of Wrappedupinmay who was most meritoriously providing him with a 20th success of the season.
Kimai (evens) instigated the Curling/O’Connor brace by landing the opening five-year-old mares’ maiden.
The Walk In The Park-sired Kimai, an excellent third on her only previous career start in the Lisronagh contest won by Clondaw Park in February of last year, disputed the running with eventual runner-up Galatrona until asserting before two out.
At the line, the sweet-jumping Kimai had four and a half lengths to spare over promising newcomer Galatrona.
Kimai, a €32, 000 Derby sale graduate that presently represents John O’Leary, is now likely to be sold.
The Eugene O’Sullivan-owned/trained Cool Consul (5/1) returned to the form that saw him come a somewhat unlucky second at Dromahane in November by landing the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 11 runners.
The British-bred Cool Consul swept to the front on the outer climbing to the last with the physically imposing chestnut then accounting for The Rebel Fox by two and a half lengths in the hands of Cal Shine.
The Rebel Fox’s handler Ross O’Sullivan was earlier on the mark with seasonal debutant Dora D’or (3/1) in the mares’ winners of two. The seven-year-old Dora D’or, a dual scorer last term, arrived from off the pace with five lbs claimer Lee Shanahan to lead from two out en-route to dismissing long-time leader Nelly O by two lengths.
Boherbue-based handler Alex Ott and his amateur rider son Luke Burke Ott joined forces to collect the six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden for novice riders with the grey Rebels Dream (5/4), who avenged her second-placed effort at Moig South in November by getting on top from two out to beat Thomas Feeney’s Moonshine River.
The Aidan Fitzgerald-trained Willow Tide (2/1), a third-last fence faller on his Boulta debut in late November, jumped from fence to fence with Troy Walsh in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden as he made virtually the running to eclipse Brother Walfrid by three and a half lengths.
1. J O’Leary’s Kimai b m (Walk In The Park – Valyssa Monterg) 11-11 Mr D O’Connor
2. B Halsall’s Galatrona 11-11 Mr B Finn
3. Mrs C Goff’s French Advernture (FR) 11-6 Mr H P Goff
4 ran. 4 1/2L, 1L. Only 3 Horses Finished. (Winner trained by Sam Curling)
1. Cobajay Syndicate’s Willow Tide b g (Crystal Ocean – Katie’s Willow) 12-2 Mr T Walsh
2. Mrs L Motherway’s Brother Walfrid 12-2 Mr A O’Sullivan.
3. Mrs C Goff’s Clondaw Sergeant 11-11 Mr H P Goff
6 ran. 3 1/2L, 4L, 1 1/2L. (Winner trained by Aidan Fitzgerald)
1. Ms J Scarisbrick’s Dora D’or b m (Golden Lariat – Niffyran) 7-11-11 Mr L P Shanahan
2. J M O’Leary’s Nelly O 6-12-2 Mr A T Feeney
3. M Byrne’s Shake The Bag 7-12-2 Mr D Doyle
7 ran. 2 1/2L, 1L, 15L. (Winner trained by Ross O’Sullivan)
1. John & Darren Partnership’s Rebels Dream gr m (My Dream Boat – Jaya Bella) 6-11-11 Mr L Burke Ott
2. T P Feeney’s Moonshine River 6-11-11 Miss H M Phillips
3. The Moroney Family Partnership’s Raise Your Wings 6-11-11 Mr D Moloney
8 ran. 1 3/4L, 3L, 38L. (Winner trained by Alexander Ott)
1. Mayhem In March Syndicate’s Wrappedupinmay ch g (Ocovango – Funny Times) 8-12-2 Mr D O’Connor
2. Coolderry Farm Partnership’s Macs Charm 11-11-11 Mr M J Love
3. G Kenny’s Jack In The Box 9-11-11 Mr S J Kenny
5 ran. 11L, Sh Hd, 10L. (Winner trained by Sam Curling)
1. E M O’Sullivan’s Cool Consul (GB) ch g (Proconsul – One Cool Robin) 6-12-2 Mr C J Shine
2. M Fox’s The Rebel Fox 6-11-11 Mr L P Shanahan
3. P P Moloney’s Pirate Island 8-12-2 Mr J C Barry
11 ran. 2 1/2L, Sh Hd, 2L. (Winner trained by Eugene M O’Sullivan).
