Mossey Joe impresses in Killarney

Cratloe trainer Declan McNamara has a classy chasing recruit on his hands in the shape of Mossey Joe, who impressed when landing his beginner’s chase at Killarney on Tuesday of last week.
Having only his second run for McNamara – he was formerly trained in Tipperary by Willie Austin – Mossey Joe went to post a well-backed 4/5 favourite to account for his nine rivals and the Barry Geraghty-ridden eight-year-old achieved that with the minimum of fuss.
Keen early on, Mossey Joe was always on the front edge with Geraghty allowing his mount, who made a bad mistake three out, hit the front on the approach to the penultimate fence and the son of Moscow Society, who races in the silks of his Ballina, Tipperary owner/breeder Willie Clifford, quickly had the race in the bag as he powered clear to beat runner-up Alnama by 14 lengths.
This was a first-class effort by the winner, who had won a point-to-point, hunter’s chase and a Cork novice hurdle before joining his present handler.
A thrilled McNamara said, “That was a lovely performance. He did pretty much what we expected him to do and it’s very pleasing.
“He pulled hard, which he always does, and we have been working hard at home trying to settle him. He’s a lovely horse and it a dream come through really, to have him in the yard.” 
McNamara, who currently has seven horses riding out, added, “I get a lot of help from my neighbouring trainers, Michael McDonagh and Aengus King, including the use of their facilities, which has been a huge help.”
Looking ahead to where the son of Moscow Society will go next, McNamara added, “All going well, Mossey Joe will run in a conditions chase at Cork this Friday evening and I imagine that will be it for the season with him then.
“We deliberately kept him as a novice over fences for the 2011/12 season and we’ll be looking forward to running him in all those good novice races next winter.” 
There was also good news for McNamara’s Cratloe neighbour Mark McDonagh when his 7/4 favourite Sallyanka followed up a recent Kilbeggan win when landing her winners’ bumper at Wexford last Friday evening. 
Trained in Slieverue, Kilkenny, by Eoin Griffin, this teak-tough daughter of Catcher In The Rye had to dig deep in the closing stages under jockey Mikey Fogarty before eventually overhauling Jessica Harrington’s Clouded Thoughts on the run-in for a half-a-length success.
“She’s a very tough mare and it’s great to land a winner’s bumper with her,” said the winning trainer. Mark (McDonagh) used to have a good horse called Don’t Be Bitin with us and I’m especially delighted for him. I said after she won at Kilbeggan she’d go over hurdles but she definitely goes hurdling now.”
Meanwhile, the point-to-point season is fast drawing to a close with reigning champion Derek O’Connor still on course to land his eight consecutive riders’ title.
The Tubber pilot was in action at last Sunday’s Dromahane, Cork meeting, where he posted his 103rd success of the season aboard Robert Tyner’s Sergeant Dick in the confined maiden.
This Lord Of Appeal six-year-old was briefly headed two out but the 4/5 favourite still had plenty in the tank and he quickly regained the initiative to beat Two Euros by three lengths.
O’Connor’s title rival, Jamie Codd, was in action at the Stradbally, Laois fixture on Sunday, where he too managed just one visit to the winner’s enclosure, leaving it very much as-you-were at the head of the riders’ table, with O’Connor still five winners clear with just two weekend’s of racing left to run.

Wonderful weekend for team O’Brien

Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O’Brien had 48 hours to remember at the Curragh last weekend where a cleansweep of the Irish 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas was capped by the success of his teenage son Joseph aboard Roderic O’Connor in Saturday’s Abu Dhabi-sponsored colts’ event.
Just two days shy of his 18th birthday, O’Brien junior showed remarkable coolness aboard the son of Galileo, who left a poor run at Newmarket (where he was beaten over 37 lengths behind runaway winner Frankel) well behind to claim this Group One prize for the powerful Coolmore operation.
With a couple of pacemakers in the race, it was rather surprising to see Roderic O’Connor at the head of affairs from an early stage but young O’Brien knew what he was doing and, having freewheeled down to the three-furling marker, he stole a march on his rivals when kicking again at this point.
In behind, hot-favourite Dubawi Gold, who filled the runner-up spot at Newmarket, wasn’t enjoying the clearest of passages, with Richard Hughes forced to pull Richard Hannon’s challenger wide to mount a challenge.
This may have been the decisive factor however, as while Hughes was angling for a run, O’Brien had gotten that vital first run up front before hanging on close to home from a fast-finishing Dubawi Gold to score by three-parts of a length. Oracle (third) and High Ruler completed a good result for O’Brien when filling the next two places.
A clearly delighted winning trainer and proud father declared, “This is one of those days that you only dream about happening. I cannot explain just how delighted we are and full marks to the owners, who gave me the go-ahead when I told them I wanted Joseph to ride this horse.
“This horse is very brave and stays well and I can only assume it was stage fright on his first run of the season when he disappointed behind Frankel at Newmarket and I imagine he could go for the Irish or French Derby now,” said O’Brien.
Things were to get better for the Master of Ballydoyle when he was back in the winner’s enclosure following the running of Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas, where his Seamie Heffernan-ridden 5/1 shot Misty For Me gave him a 1-2 when beating stable companion Together (4/1 favourite) by three parts of a length.
The winner, who races in the colours of Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, will now head to Epsom for the Oaks, while the runner-up will more than likely have her next outing in the Coronation Stakes at next month’s Royal Ascot meeting.
What was a good weekend for O’Brien – he had six winners in all – included a facile success for his Australian import See You Think in the 10-furlong Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup.
Ryan Moore did the steering on the 1/7 shot, who underlined his Prix De L’Arc claims when sauntering to a four and a half-length victory over the Frankie Dettori-ridden Campanologist.