Happy hunting for Clare in Athenry

Last Sunday’s Galway Blazers point-to-point meeting at Rathmorrissey, Athenry proved a happy hunting ground for Clare contestants, with Banner representatives taking three of the six races on offer.
Quin trainer John O’Neill started the ball rolling when sending out 4/1 shot, Royale Knight, to land the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden under a good ride from Tipperary jockey Stephen Byrne.
A model of consistency, Royale Knight skipped clear with four fences to jump and the imposing son of King’s Theatre was never in danger of defeat as he strolled to a comprehensive five-length success over Ronnie O’Leary’s Glacial Rock.
The winner, who is owned by his trainer’s brother Conor O’Neill and his wife Carol, has been knocking on the door for a while with his handler remarking, “This horse deserved to put his head in front as he never runs a bad race. My son, Paul, usually rides him but he’s out injured at the moment and Stephen (Byrne) was very good on him. He seemed to thrive on the better ground and we’ll have a look at our options now.”
Half an hour later it was the turn of another Quin trainer as the Brian Hassett-trained Shantalla (3/1-5/1) put up a very good performance to land the six-runner winners of two contest.
Ridden by Galway jockey William McMahon, Shantalla took control at the second last fence with the Oscar-sired eight-year-old running on powerfully in the home straight to beat Michael Hourigan’s Noble Chic by a distance.
Shantalla carried the silks of his trainer’s father Donie to victory and will now be stepped up in class. Hassett said, “He did that nicely and ran away with it in the end. The good ground was right up his street and he’ll make a very nice summer chaser.
“His next outing will be in a hunter’s chase somewhere and I imagine he’ll improve again from today’s outing,” concluded Hassett, who was a top-class amateur rider himself before hanging up his boots to concentrate on training at the family’s Coogane yard. 
The concluding mares’ maiden completed what was a good ‘Clare day’ at the always popular Blazers fixture when Scarriff native Flan Costello tasted success with the nibbled-at Mrs Henderson in the concluding mares’ maiden.
Backed from 4/1 into 2/1, Mrs Henderson hit the front at the final fence and, answering every call from 20-year-old Athlacca, Limerick rider Raymond Barron, the grey daughter of Dalakhani pulled out more on the run to the line to beat Gathabawn Lily by two lengths.
“I fancied her and had a few quid on,” said Costello, who is better known as the proprietor of the very popular Costello’s Tavern in Limerick city.
“This was her first time running on that good ground and I knew if she went on it, she would go close to winning. Raymond (Barron) rides out for me at home and that’s his first winner so that makes it even better. I’ve no firm plans for her now but we’ll have a look at a winners’ race now that she’s managed to put her head in front,” continued the winning handler, who has stables at Knocklong in county Limerick.
Tubber trainer Paurick O’Connor was on the mark at last Sunday’s Lisronagh, Tipperary meeting where his 5/2 chance Gale Force Oscar followed up a recent Horse and Jockey success when carrying Kevin Power to victory in the winners of three event at the Clonmel track.
Owned by Galway woman Mary Moloney, Gale Force Oscar was in the van all the way in this seven-runner event under Kevin Power before stretching clear after the fifth last to beat Jim Dreaper’s 6/4 favourite Goonyella by three lengths.

Dundalk follow-up for Fairy Wing

Ennis-based accountant Michael Vaughan and his wife Rose have a real money-spinner on their hands in Fairy Wing (7/2), who landed his second race in a row this season when scoring in a seven-furlong rated contest on the all-weather at Dundalk last Friday night.
A good winner over the course three weeks earlier, Fairy Wing was settled in second behind the pace-setting Rocky’s Pride by the returning-to-action Fran Berry.
A furlong and a half out, Berry launched his bid as he came to tackle the leader and, showing good resolution, Fairy Wing finally got the better of the argument with 50 yards to run when edging clear to beat that rival by a neck giving Berry a welcome success on his first ride back since injuring his foot while riding in Japan last November.
Jessica Harrington trains the successful son of Hawk Wing at her Moone, Kildare yard. She said, “It’s great to have Fran back on a winner. This horse is improving all the time and as I’ve said before, he’ll hopefully jump a hurdle in time as well.”
The winner was due to make a quick return to action on Wednesday night at Leopardstown, where he was listed to run in a seven-furlong handicap under a mandatory five-pound penalty.
Meanwhile, the 2012 flat season proper kicked off at the Curragh on Sunday where jockey Wayne Lordan stole the show when bagging a 606/1 treble.
Cork-born Lordan opened his account when guiding David Wachman’s flying filly Chrysanthemum (8/1) to victory in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Park Express Stakes.
Produced a furlong and a half out, Chrysanthemum showed a nice turn of foot when scooting clear to beat favourite Twirl by a length and a half with Princess Sinéad the same margin back in third.
Later on Lordan completed his sparkling hat-trick when taking the Gabriel Curran Memorial Madrid Handicap aboard Willie McCreery’s 7/2 shot Coolnagree and the one-mile maiden with 14/1 outsider Amira’s Prince, who was completing a double for his trainer David Wachman.
The Irish Lincoln was the most valuable prize up for grabs at Headquarters with victory going to John Oxx’s well-backed 3/1 favourite Sharestan.
Johnny Murtagh unleashed the Aga Khan-owned Shamardal colt inside the final furlong and he went on to land this competitive handicap with a good degree of ease when passing the post two and three-quarter lengths in front of runner-up Ansaab.
Jim Bolger made the perfect start to the new season when sending out the Kevin Manning-ridden Dawn Approach to claim the opening Tally Ho Stud five-furlong maiden.
A first runner for his sire, 2008 Epsom Derby winner New Approach, Dawn Approach justified even-money favouritism when pulling out that bit more close to home to account for second-placed Canary Row by just under two lengths. 
Meanwhile, the jumps action last Sunday was at Downpatrick, where hugely popular Monaghan trainer Oliver Brady recorded a notable success in the Toal Bookmakers Ulster National with the Adrian Heskin-ridden Duroob.
A major gamble from 20/1 in the morning all the way down to 8/1 at the off, Duroob hit the front at the final fence in the three and a half-mile marathon and battled like a lion to give the colourful Brady, who has been battling ill-health for some time, a timely boost.
The winner, who races in the colours of Brady’s main patron, Rita Shah, now has the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday firmly in his sights.