Gain mares final at Ballynoe

Since its inception in 1987 ‘The Gain’ mares final run at Ballynoe has been the centrepiece of the entire season in the point to point sphere throughout the island of Ireland, and some 36 years later it is as relevant now as it was back in ‘87 when Gerry Mulcaire on board Plassey Bridge for Rathkeale trainer Philip Madden landed the inaugural running of the series.

In recent years the point to point landscape has changed with the emphasis now on 4 and 5yr olds and how much they would make at a sale, but withstanding that ‘ The Gain’ is still the richest prize fund in the country for any mare’s race carrying a total purse of €4,225 to the winner.

This year there were ten entries for the final of which eight stood their ground and victory ultimately went to the Declan Queally trained Majestic Design, a 6yr old daughter of Imperial Monarch who justified her odds on price of 4/5 (from 5/4), and in taking this was providing the Queally camp with their third win in this race in the last seven years (Thegirlfrommilan in 2016 and The Old Gold in 2017) .

The recent Lismore maiden winner Majestic Design was partnered here by Chris O’Donovan, and from the outset here he was content enough to sit some 4 to 5L off the pacesetting Dul Ar Aghaidh (5/2-4) and Alan O’Sullivan.

They went a good, even gallop throughout here and it was not until after the third last that O’Donovan gave the eventual winner the hurry up and she quickly joined and passed the long-time leader Dul Ar Aghaidh, the Eoin Mahon partnered Merry Melody loomed into contention also but her effort quickly faded on the tacky ground. Up front and Majestic Design was in front but much to the great credit of Dul Ar Aghaidh she came again over the last two obstacles and was closing with every stride. But the post came in time for the Cappagh, Co Waterford trained raider Majestic Design who prevailed by 2L at the death over Dul Ar Aghaidh with Merry Melody keeping going for third finishing some 20L further in arrears and she was the only other finisher, with the five maidens who also went to the start all failing to complete.

Owned and bred by Michael and Fiona O’Connor from Cappoquin, Majestic Design was having just her second start for the Queallys, and it was Declan Queally senior who we spoke to after the race, he remarked “That was great now, she jumped and travelled away lovely there for Chris, bar a slight mistake three out we never had an anxious moment. She will go to the track next I would think with Mallow at Easter a possibility for her. We have to thank Gain and the committee here for staging this race and the generous sponsorship involved, it is a great series and long may it continue”.

In riding the winner here Shanballymore jockey Chris O’Donovan was recording his first win in the Gain final.

Following on from his treble on home soil last weekend Liscarroll native Michael O’Connor was in double form on Sunday as he landed the opening 4yr old maiden and the 5yr old and upwards mares maiden.

Seven went to post in the opening 4yr old maiden kindly sponsored by Goffs UK and to be fair victory didn’t look likely for O’Connor as his charge The Passing Wife (5-7) whilst holding every chance appeared to have blundered it away at the second last of the fifteen fences jumped with O’Connor doing well to keep the partnership intact. Up front and the John Barry ridden Diamonds For Luck (5/4-2) appeared to have the contest in safe keeping, going into the wings of the last and at least 3L separated the duo but John Barry’s mount caught the top of this and crashed out gifting the contest to The Passing Wife under Mikey O’Connor and in the colours of owner/trainer Brian Linehan the progeny of Passing Glance came home 4L clear of Long Draw (5/2-4) the mount of Jamie Scallan.

Fermoy native Brian Linehan trained the winner and it was his brother Maurice who bred the winner and it was the former professional rider Maurice who was on hand and of the winner he said “A nice smart horse who jumps and stays, we are a family operation, I bred this lad myself and he is by a very underrated sire in Passing Glance. We are a family operation, Brian trains some here and I train more at my base in Oxfordshire, we have a lovely mare to run here and two more 4yr olds, this lad will go to a sale now after that”.

The Coolmore Stud, Liam Geary Garage, and Mr Softee Ices sponsored 5yr old and upwards maiden was where Michael O’Connor recorded the second leg of his double on board the ultra-consistent The Dollarlady (2-3-2) in the colours of local trainer Paul Tobin.

The successful progeny of Libertarian was hunted around in mid division for most of the contest and despite some careful jumping was never more than 7L off the pace. Going out into the country for the last time and Imperial Fox (3-5) under Alan O’Sullivan were starting to wind things up from the front and to her credit she was still 3L to the good coming through the final gap to bring them onto the second last. At this stage O’Connor began making inroads on the leader but was still 2L down between the last two obstacles. However the wily old O’Connor had timed it to perfection to be on terms, touching down over the last and on the run in he drove out the eventual winner in hands and heels to score very snugly by 1L over the gallant runner up.

Glenagroughery, Tallow domiciled trainer Paul Tobin said of the winner “I am delighted for the mare and her owners Shane Condon and Aidan Daly, both from Tallow, she is tough out and has never run a bad race, Mikey gave her a grand spin there and I will look for a winners race for her next”.

This contest also carried a bonus of €1,000 to the winning connections, this bonus is kindly sponsored by the O’Keeffe family in memory of their late father James O’Keeffe who himself was one of the original committee members back in 1945.

The Tattersalls and Anthony and Associates sponsored 5yr old geldings maiden saw just seven go to post with victory here going the way of the Wexford raider Illico De Cotte (2-4) from the Ballindaggin yard of Donnchadh Doyle and partnered by Alan Harney.

The 16K Arquana foal purchase was strongly pressed by both What A Johnny (3-4) and Danny Fitzgerald along with Native Dream (4-7) and Mikey O’Connor as the trio raced through the gap to bring them onto the second last, Native Dream poked his head in front briefly before this but on the level between the last two obstacles the French bred Illico De Cotte moved up a gear under Alan Harney and duly went on to score by 12L from What A Johnny with the only other finisher Native Dream just 1L back in third.

“He is belonging to Donnchaddh,” said Sean Doyle, the brother of the successful owner/trainer. “He is a grand smart horse and very straight forward and he will go onto Aintree now for the sale”. The winner was crediting Alan Harney with his fourth career winner.

Disappointingly just three went to post in the Open Lightweight contest kindly sponsored by The

Winners Enclosure, Coolagown Stud and Dermot O’Leary Agri Ltd.

The Turlough O’Connor ridden Dashing Perk went off at restrictive odds on (1-6 1-4) to go one place better than his recent Kilworth effort, he got the job done but he made hard work of it.

Having made most the 12yr old Kayf Tara progeny was tracked into the straight by Emotional Roller (5/2-4) and Dan Nevin in the Mick Goff colours, touching down two out and the jolly was just half a length or so in front, but by time they left the ground at the last he was a neck down and an upset looked on the cards, however the maiden Emotional Roller was running around a bit after the last whereas the jolly was straight as a gun barrel and in the dying strides it was Dashing Perk who found the resolve and go on to record a 2.5L victory.

“It was a messy old race and he would hate that old tacky ground,” said successful trainer Eugene O’Sullivan. “He will tip away in a few more opens with his final destination being Doncaster for a sale at the season’s end”.

Racing concluded with the Rathbarry Stud, Lagan Concrete, and Hurleys Supervalu Midleton sponsored 6yr old and upwards maiden and here it was again Bandon form that was to the fore as the Alexander Ott trained cheek piece sporting Blackprint who went two spots better than his two previous outings under his son Andy Burke Ott.

Boherbue native Andy Ott took it up here on board the 6/1 shot on the climb to three out and quickly opened up a 3 to 4L advantage, out of the chasing pack came the well supported Clarabello (5/4-2-5/4) the mount of Simon Cavanagh but try as Cavanagh did he could not peg back the eventual winner and was never closer than the 3L he was adrift at the death.

Successful trainer Alex Ott was at Loughrea point to point but of this winner the successful rider said “Look he has been running well without winning, we will talk to the owner Con McAuliffe (Newmarket) and see where we go from here but I would imagine a winners of one next”.

This was the nineteen year old’s seventh career win to date and it comes twelve months to the date after he rode his first on board their own mare Zella Bella at Lisronagh.

ONE TO FOLLOW… SHADYS LADY (SEAN AHERN)

This 5yr old daughter of Malinas made her debut here and she ran a race rich in promise on the tacky old ground to finish fifth, beaten a little over 30L, and were it not for getting in tight over the third last she may have made the frame and with a bit nicer ground she should step up on this effort.

NEXT WEEKEND...

On the local Cork/Waterford circuit we are off to Dromahane with the first off at the Duhallow Foxhounds meet at 13.30. Elsewhere the Limerick Foxhounds race at Rathcannon with the first off there at 14.00, whilst the Westmeath Foxhounds race at Castletown Geohegan also with a 14.00 start.

Don’t forget on Wednesday, 5th April the Killeagh Harriers race at Ballyknock (Inch) with the first they’re going to post at 13:30.