Droim Toll wins Breakfast with Hector

Quin trainer Donie Hassett has few equals when it comes to getting one of his horses primed for a big race and he underlined that fact when Droim Toll ran out a ridiculously easy winner of the featured  €25,000 Breakfast With Hector on 2fm Handicap Chase at Punchestown on Wednesday of last week.

Without a victory since scoring at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day 2011, Droim Toll hadn’t been firing on all cylinders in the interim but, on this occasion, the son of Simply Great, who was ridden on this occasion by Davy Condon, found his form at just the right time.
Sent off a 16/1 shot, Condon’s mount was settled in mid-division in this marathon three-mile, six-furlong contest until he began to make eye-catching progress with three fences to jump.
By the time the second last had been reached, Droim Toll was in front and even a slight mistake here didn’t interrupt his momentum as he strode clear to beat Tom Taffee’s Smoking Aces by four and three-quarter lengths with Condon easing the winner up on the run to the line as the duo had the race firmly in the bag.
Sadly, Droim Toll’s owner Johnny Kilroy  passed away just over two years ago, but the now 10-year-old still runs in his colours which is a fitting tribute to the Gort native who was a keen racing fan and liked nothing better that watching one of his horses compete.
Speaking after the race, winning trainer Hassett divulged, “This horse’s wind was catching him out during the winter and we had his palate done which seems to have made the difference. He did it really well and it’s great that he’s back to his best form again.
“He’s a very good horse on his day and that his fourth win on the track to add to his two point-to-points. I’m not sure if we’ll get another run into him before the summer, he must have soft ground and it will all depend on the weather. If the ground dries out in the next few weeks, we’ll let him off and bring him back for something at Listowel in the autumn,” concluded the Coogane handler.
Ruby Walsh was the man in form at the first session of Killarney’s three-day May festival where the Kildare rider rattled off a 35/1 treble in the first three races.
Tony Martin provided Walsh with his first winner as 5/1 shot Shamkhal came with a well-timed run on the wide outside to beat 11/4 Bulgaden in the opening maiden hurdle.
Walsh and Martin again teamed up to land the second, which was the first division of the Ross Golf Club maiden hurdle with 6/4 favourite Dara Tango.
Charlie Swan turned provider for Walsh in the second division of this event when he gave the former champion the leg up aboard 11/8 favourite Moyaliff, who kept on well in front from the third last flight to beat Special Tiara by three and half lengths.
The feature at the Kingdom track was the Grade B Ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle with victory here going to the Eoin Doyle-trained Satu.
Support in the ring saw this Michael Butler-ridden son of Marju’s price tumble from 16s into 8/1 and the money wasn’t misplaced as he gamely stuck his neck out in the closing stages to beat Willie Mullins’ Rattan by head.
Monday evening’s feature was the McSweeney Arms Handicap Chase and punters got it right here also as Casey Top scored on his seasonal debut for Wexford handler Leonard Whitmore.
14/1 in the morning was quickly taken about this Bryan Cooper-ridden nine-year-old who had to overcome a 218-day lay-off, but that mattered little as the 5/1 joint-favourite asserted his authority from two out to beat gallant top-weight Tranquil Sea by four and a half lengths.

O’Connor hits 60-winner mark

Four winners for in-form Tubber jockey Derek O’Connor over the weekend continued the 29-year-old’s good run since his recent return from injury. 
The reigning champion was on duty at last Saturday evening’s County Limerick Hunt meeting at Athlacca where he bagged two winners.
O’Connor first visit to the number one spot came following the second division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden where he guided Liz Doyle’s 3/1 favourite Chief Admiral to a snug victory.
One of three horses in contention jumping the final fence, Chief Admiral found plenty when the pressure came on to beat John Halley’s Big Jer by half a length.
Wexford-based Doyle commented, “That was just a brilliant ride from Derek. This horse is still a big baby and I thought he was going to stop once he hit the front, but the man on his back wasn’t going to allow that. That’s why he is champion jockey every year!”
O’Connor also came in for praise following the second division of the concluding mares’ maiden where he completed his double aboard Uimhir A Seacht (2/1-11/4).
Trained in Killeagh, Cork by Ken Budds, this daughter of Millenary benefitted from a typically patient O’Connor ride when coming from off the pace to beat Robin Victoria by four lengths.
“Derek was very good there as he got his mare to settle and relax which was very important. She has been very free in her races, but it all came together today and it’s great she’s won,” said the winning trainer.
Sligo Racecourse hosted Sunday’s Sligo Harriers session with O’Connor again bagging a brace of winners on what was a long afternoon at the north-western venue.
Ashbourne, Meath trainer Claire O’Connell provided O’Connor with his opening success as her 2/1 favourite Lottodo ran out a good winner of the second division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Sensing there was no pace on in this nine-runner contest, O’Connor allowed the market leader stride to the front from an early stage and, dictating matters as he wished, the champion brought the son of Dushyantor home four lengths to the good over runner-up Ballinakill Boy.
The O’Connor double was completed in the second division of the winners’ race where Robert Tyner’s near 10-hour round-trip from his Kinsale, Co Cork yard paid dividends as his Sea Diamond scored.
Easy to back in the ring at 7/2, this son of Peintre Celebre almost certainly had the measure of Gerry Lynch’s Western Star (Jamie Codd) when that rival ran out at the final fence leaving Sea Diamond free to beat Goonyella by a length.
There are now just eight racing days left in the 2011/12 point-to-point season and, with O’Connor holding a 19-winner advantage (60-41) over his nearest pursuer Barry O’Neill, the race for this year’s leading jockey is all but over.
O’Connor, despite being on the sidelines for two months with a broken leg, continues to dominate and is now odds-on to pick up his ninth jockeys’ title in a row when the curtain comes down on what has been another great season of pointing at the closing Ballingarry, Co Tipperary fixture on Bank Holiday Monday, June 4.