Gallant Oscar looked an exciting recruit to fences when running out a convincing winner of the two-and-a-half-mile Slivenamon Beginners’ Chase at Clonmel last Thursday.

The subject of much controversy when disqualified for 42 days following his previous outing when fourth in a similar event at Punchestown early in January, Gallant Oscar went off a well-backed 3/1 favourite (from a morning show of 6/1) on what was his first start for Newmarket-on-Fergus trainer Pat Lynch and he certainly did the business in style.

The seven-year-old, who races in the colours of Kilrush Road, Ennis farmer Garrett Kelly, proved a revelation as turned in an exhibition of jumping under this season’s leading conditional jockey, Mark Enright.

The son of Oscar, who spent some time in training with Rebecca Curtis in the UK, clearly has a future over the larger obstacles as, having taken over from long-time leader Dazzler’s Day – owned by the Jonsdel Partnership that includes the Jones brothers from Doora – off the home bend, he ran on in tremendous style to beat runner-up Coolnagorna Giggs by half a dozen lengths.

A delighted Lynch revealed, “That was a good performance. To be fair, all the hard work had been done by his previous trainer, Denis Quinn, as he’s only been with me a week. His jumping was brilliant but I’d it was a weak enough race and it’s nice for Gearóid O’Loughlin who comes in and rides him out.

“He should be good enough to go for a winners’ race and is handicapped as well over hurdles, which is also an option. He looks like a horse that would stay farther and we’ll probably step him up in trip later and see how he gets on,” added Lynch who enjoys a healthy strike-rate with runners from his Latoon yard.

Elsewhere on the card, the featured Carrick-on-Suir mares’ handicap hurdle was won in good style by the Christy Roche-trained 7/4 favourite Speckled Wood.
A daughter of High Chaparral out of top race mare Like-A-Butterfly, the winner is owned by JP McManus, whose wife, Noreen, bred her. She came with a well-timed challenge under seven-pound claimer Jody McGarvey to head Lead Kindly Light at the final flight in this two-mile event before drawing clear on the uphill climb to the line to register a convincing three-and-three-quarter length success.

Former champion amateur John Queally doesn’t have a big string but the Dungarvan handler does well with his runners and his Andrew McNamara-ridden 9/4 favourite Ancient Days also did punters a favour when scoring in the opening two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle.

Placed in a couple of similar events back in the autumn, the son of Daylami made no mistake this time round when running on best in the closing stages to beat 18/1 outsider Shazner by two lengths.

Liz Doyle has her team in tip-top shape at present and the Wexford trainer was on the mark as her Glen Beg sprung a 33/1 shock in the two-mile maiden hurdle.
Brian O’Connell did the steering aboard this daughter of Norwich who, having forged to the head of affairs two out, left her previous form well behind when staying on strongly on the rain-softened ground to beat runner-up Black in Zero, owned and trained in Cratloe by Michael McDonagh, by eight lengths.

Willie Mullins warmed up for what promises to be a very exciting few days for the Closutton, County Carlow handler at this week’s high-profile Cheltenham Festival, when joining forces with his son, Patrick, to land the concluding two-mile bumper with hot-pot Turnandgo.

Sent off 1/2 favourite to account for his nine rivals, the Gigginstown House-owned five-year-old, who won a point-to-point at Lisronagh for Broadford trainer Joe Ryan before joining Mullins, enjoyed a stroll in the park here as completely outclassed the opposition when powering ahead a furlong out to score by 11 lengths.
Mullins, who said the winner really thrives on soft ground, predicted the Morozov gelding will develop into a very smart staying chaser.

Tetratema honours for rejuvenated Mossey Joe

Gowran Park’s Tetratema Cup Hunters’ Chase is one of the oldest races on the calendar and Cratloe trainer, Declan McNamara, took the 2013 renewal when scoring with 13/8 favourite Mossey Joe at the Kilkenny track last Saturday.

A near top-class performer inside the rails a few years ago, Mossey Joe lost his way somewhat over the past 18 months but he may have turned the corner if his latest effort is anything to go by.
Ridden by Tipperary jockey Damian Skehan, Mossey Joe jumped for fun in this seven-runner event and, having assumed command at the ninth fence, the now 10-year-old powered home to beat Family Official by 19 lengths.

A relieved McNamara, who trains Mossey Joe for his Ballina, Tipperary owner/breeder Willie Clifford, stated, “That’s a great relief. This horse has had a terrible time of it and its fantastic to have him back to his best. I didn’t know what to expect today to be honest, so for him to win like that is brilliant. We have nothing mapped out and I’ll have to talk it over with the owner but the Champion Hunters’ Chase at Punchestown might be an option.”

Meanwhile, Derek O’Connor, who has some fancied mounts at this week’s Cheltenham Festival, warmed up for the Prestbury Park extravaganza in the best possible fashion when riding four winners at last Sunday’s North Galway Hunt point-to-point fixture at Belclare, two of which were for his trainer brother, Paurick.

The award-winning amateur was quickly on the scoresheet when guiding Denis Murphy’s well-bred newcomer Tarare (7/4) to victory in the opening four-year-old maiden at the western venue.
A son of Astarabad, the winner assumed command four out and stayed on in the manner of a good horse to beat Mark O’Hare’s northern raider Sucker Punch by seven lengths.
An hour later, O’Connor was back in the number-one berth when steering Dawn Flyer, owned by Tom Coughlan from Kilmihil to victory in the mares’ winners of two contest.

Sent off 6/4 favourite, this daughter of Broadway Flyer, who hails from the family of Moscow Flyer and was bred like the former dual Champion Chaser by Claire and Eddie Joyce in Meelick, had to show good reserves of stamina when staying on strongly in the closing stages to deny Sam Curling’s Suir View Girl by three-parts of a length.

“This is a nice mare and was fully entitled to win today. We’ll stay pointing with her for now but she’ll go back to the track later on,” divulged O’Connor who trains at Knocktoby on the Clare/Galway border.

The O’Connor brothers were to add to their tally later in the afternoon as another fancied runner, Manor Court, scored for the pair in the second division of the concluding older horses’ maiden.
A full brother to highly rated Cheltenham contender Champion Court, Manor Court was always travelling best in this nine-runner contest and the 1/2 favourite only had to be kept up to his work to beat Dromore Express by four lengths.

The winner, who races in the colours of Athenry farmer John Rabbitte, will now be stepped up in class according to his trainer, who observed, “This horse had good form in the book and wasn’t winning out of turn. His next assignment will be a winners’ race and we’ll look at a hunters’ chase after that.”

In between, Derek O’Connor had landed the confined maiden when steering Hall’s Bridge, trained in Ballinasloe by Shane Ryder, to victory in the confined maiden.
Third to Gordon Elliott’s Rockdown – who won the bumper at Gowran on Saturday – last time out at Killaloe, Halls Bridge was the choice of punters having been backed from even money to 1/2 favourite and he landed the odds with the minimum of fuss when pulling clear on the run-in to beat Castle Ellen Wood by seven lengths.