O’Loughlin flying high over debut win as trainer

Clarecastle’s Gearóid O’Loughlin had an afternoon to savour at last Sunday’s North Kerry Harriers’ point-to-point meeting at Ballybunion when registering his first win as a trainer with 10/1 shot Hello Mr Kelly in the second division of the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.
O’Loughlin, whose uncle Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin is currently Clare senior hurling manager, has ridden many winners over the past few seasons but he reached another milestone here when this first-time out son of Wizard King was successful at the sun-kissed Kingdom track.
Always prominent, Hello Mr Kelly, who races in the colours of well-known Kildysart hunting enthusiast Aiden Kelly, moved to the front on the run to the final fence and, once safely over, ran on strongly to beat runner-up, Pretty Floyd, by four lengths.
“It is fantastic to have trained my first winner,” O’Loughlin said. “This is a very nice horse and he has been working well at home over the past few weeks. Aidan Kelly is a great owner and he will derive huge satisfaction out of this win as he just loves horses.”
O’Loughlin, who works for top Limerick trainer Enda Bolger, continued, “I’d like to thank my boss, who has been a huge help to me as well. We always knew this horse had plenty of ability but it takes a good one to win on his debut. I’m not sure where we will
go with him now, he might even go to the sales.”
The ongoing battle between Jamie Codd and Derek O’Connor for this year’s jockeys’ championship continues to light-up the latter end of the pointing season and O’Connor, who has been installed 1/2 Favourite with leading bookmaker Franco Hughes to retain his title (Codd is 6/4), kept up the pressure when riding five winners over the weekend.
The Tubber rider was in action up north on Saturday afternoon at the Limavady, Derry meeting where he took the opening four-year-old maiden aboard Wilson Dennison’s 7/4 shot Ballinroab. In front three out, this Milan gelding ran on well from there to beat Sober Sailor by a length-and-a-half.
Success number two of the afternoon for the seven-time champion came in the open lightweight where hot favourite Simonsig (4/6) cruised to a comfortable victory.
This Ian Ferguson-trained runner, owned by Simon Tindal, eased to the head off affairs two out, before pulling away in the closing stages for a 20-length win over Colin Bowe’s Wexford raider ,An Fear Aitiuil.
On Sunday afternoon, O’Connor was plying his trade at Dromahane, where his rich vein of form continued as he recorded a hat-trick.
His first visit to the winner’s enclosure at the popular Mallow venue came in the confined maiden, where he teamed up with trainer Eugene O’Sullivan’s even-money favourite Ifsoluso. In front all the way, the winner went on before the last en-route to a hard-earned one-length success over Robert Tyner’s Killeena House.
Half an hour later, award-winning O’Connor was back in the number one berth following the success of 1/2 favourite Annacarton in the open lightweight.
Successful in a hunters chase 24 hours earlier at Tramore, Jimmy Mangan’s progressive seven-year-old showed no ill-effects of those exertions when quickening up well in the closing stages to deny runner-up Mr Dominator by two lengths. The winner will now head to both the Fairyhouse and Punchestown festivals.
O’Connor moved on to the 68-winner mark for the season – three clear of Codd – when completing his treble aboard Ballinaha Swan (4/1) in the mares’ winners’ race.
Trained in Waterford by Sean Aherne, this daughter of Flemensfirth bounced back from a below-par effort at Knockanard in February when forging clear after two out to beat Magical Mother by four lengths.

McCain magic sees Ballabriggs land Aintree showpiece

It seems there is no stopping the McCain’s at Aintree.
Back in the 1970s Ginger McCain famously trained the legendary Red Rum to win three Grand Nationals, before adding to his tally some 30 years later as Amberleigh House’s victory in 2004 gave the former car salesman a fourth success in the race.
With Ginger now 80, a new member of the most famous name in the history of the race has emerged as his son, Donald McCain, stepped out of the shadows last Saturday to take the world’s most famous steeplechase with the Jason Maguire-ridden 14/1 shot Ballabriggs.
The magic of Aintree is still very much alive if Saturday’s race is anything to go by, with close on 70,000 racegoers flocking to the Merseyside track to witness yet another chapter of history being written.
After the early skirmishes had taken their toll, Ballabriggs took up the running on the second circuit and the strapping 2010 Cheltenham Kim Muir winner saw off all challengers when doggedly holding the late effort of Gold Cup hero Sam Waley-Cohen aboard Irish raider Oscar Time. Last year’s winner, Don’t Push It, under a patient ride from Tony McCoy filled third with Paul Moloney’s mount, State Of Play, running on from the back to fill fourth.
The Midnight Club went off 15-2 favourite to score for Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins, but, having gotten a little detached in the early stages, he never looked likely to breach the gap despite running a fine race back in sixth.
There was no joy either for local trainer Noel Glynn, who’s Becauseicouldntsee and Davy Russell parted company at the second fence. At least the Spancilhill handler had something to shout about when his other Aintree runner, Gonebeyondrecall (33/1), ran a blinder to finish fourth in the Topham Chase over the National fences on Friday afternoon.
The victory of Ballabriggs was also a personal triumph for winning owner Trevor Hemmings.  Born in the north of England, Hemmings won the National with Hedgehunter back in 2005 and the man, who left school at 15 to become an apprentice bricklayer before making his millions in the building trade, admitted to being nervous in the closing stages. He said, “I had to turn away because I couldn’t look. This race is the ultimate.”
Winning rider Maguire, a nephew of former top jockey Adrian Maguire, missed out on the mount aboard Gordon Elliott’s 2007 National winner Silver Birch when staying loyal to McCain’s Idle Talk on that occasion but Saturday’s win was sweet compensation. “That was tough, but this more than made up for it,” said the Kilmessan, Co Meath-born rider. “I can’t believe the way Ballabriggs has done it. For a horse to travel so well in the early part of the race and still come home in front is unbelievable.”