O’Neill gets to the point in Quakerstown

Jockey Paul O’Neill made the ideal return from injury when riding two winners at last Sunday’s County Clare Hunt point-to-point meeting at Quakerstown.
The Quin rider had been on the sidelines since dislocating his shoulder at Belclare four weeks earlier but showed no ill-effects of that spill when scoring aboard his comeback ride, Royal Knight, in the winners’ race.
Trained by his jockey’s father, John, 6-1 shot Royale Knight skipped clear five fences out and never looked in danger of defeat as he strode to an eight-length win over Cork raider Arctic Tale.
O’Neill senior, who trains the successful six-year-old for his brother Conor and wife Carol at his Quin yard, remarked, “It’s super that Paul was able to ride this horse today. He got him into a lovely rhythm and he won very well in the end. We may head back to the track with him now.”
The second leg of O’Neill’s brace came in the first division of the older geldings’ maiden, where he teamed up with Tubber trainer John Staunton to score aboard Kiltartan Cross (4-1).
The winner, who is owned by Malachy Quinn from Gort, showed great resolution in the closing stages when running on gamely to beat Ballyness by two lengths.
“He’s a good, tough horse and really stuck his neck out when he had to,” said Staunton.
A very popular figure on the racing scene, Staunton went on to make it a double when also taking the second division of this event with the well-backed Lacarmic (7-2-6-4F).
Former champion jockey John Thomas McNamara was on board this Michael Collins-owned son of Eve’s Error who, having hit the front two out, kept up a relentless gallop to beat runner-up Knacky Lad by two lengths.
The winning trainer remarked, “Lacarmic showed his true colours there today. We’ll have a shot at a winners’ race with him now.”
Paurick O’Connor completed a good day for the Tubber area when he sent out 7-2 chance Olor to land the concluding confined maiden.
Ridden by Cork jockey JT Carroll, Olor, who races in the silks of Maria and Gerard Flaherty, had to withstand a determined challenge from Brian Hassett’s Mullaghmore Glens before crossing the line a head to the good.
O’Connor said, “This was the big day for this horse and he’s delivered. I’m thrilled for the owners, who have land right beside the course and it’s a great day for them.”
Racing opened with a hugely impressive success for market-drifter Inch Rover (2-1-5-1), who scored for Cork trainer Liam Burke in the four-year-old maiden.
Richie Harding did the steering aboard this newcomer, who displayed nice acceleration in the closing stages when sailing past Island Confusion close home for a three-length win.
Eugene O’Sullivan was another Cork trainer to hit the jackpot when his Pa King-ridden Midsummer Drama (6-1) beat Robert Tyner’s 4-6 favourite Our Girls Handy by a length in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
Nineteen faced the starter in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, with victory going to the Peter Flood-ridden 4-1 shot Craddockstown Lad.
Trained in Kildare by Ross O’Sullivan, this grey son of Portrait Gallery was bred in Kilnamona by Oliver Mescall and he stuck his neck out in game fashion after the final fence to beat newcomer The Lad by half a length in the colours of Naas owner Brendan Russell.     

Results
O’Grady’s Bar, Gort four-year-old maiden. Three miles
1) William O’Neill’s Inch Rock (Bandari-Billys Pet) 11-7 R Harding.
2) Reamonn O’Connor’s Island Confusion, 11-7, Pa King.
3) Tom Keating’s De Bee Keeper, 11-7, Liz Lalor.
13 Ran. Dist: 3L. Nk. Winner trained in Cork by Liam Burke

Hassett Considine Solicitors five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Three miles.
1) Brendan Russell’s Craddockstown Lad (Portrait Gallery-Overluck), 12-0, PJ Flood.
2) Eugene O’Sullivan’s The Lad, 12-0, D Murphy.
3) WJ Burke’s Alberthomas, 12-0, R Harding.
19 Ran. Dist: 1/2L. 1L.  Winner trained in Kildare by Ross O’Sullivan.

Patricia Lynch Memorial five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden. Three miles.
1) Marie McCarten’s Midsummer Drama (King’s Theatre-What An Answer), 12-0, PA King.
2) Austin Downey’s Our Girls Handy, 12-0, C Motherway.
3) MO Cullinane’s Some Benefit, 12-0, W McMahon.
17 Ran. Dist: 1L. 1L. Winner trained in Cork by Eugene O’Sullivan.

Tekoil Gort, Gort Mart & Gerry Finnerty winners of one. Three miles
1) Carol O’Neill’s Royale Knight (King’s Theatre-Gardana), 12-0, PJ O’Neill.
2) P Twomey’s Arctic Tale, 12-0, C Motherway.
3) Declan O’Connor’s Inamalabalusaloon, 12-0, JT Carroll.
11 Ran. Dist: 8L. 5L. Winner trained in Quin by John O’Neill

Dinny Gould & Paul Casey Bookmakers six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden. Three miles.
1) Malachy Quinn’s Kiltartan Cross (Environment Friend-Burren View), 12-0, PJ O’Neill.
2) Stuart Crowley’s Ballyness, 12-0, B Crowley.
3) Desmond Dempsey’s Mollys Captain, 12-0, JJ Smyth.
15 Ran. Dist: 2L. 1L. Winner trained in Tubber by John Staunton.

Division Two
1) Michael Collins’ Lacarmic (Eve’s Error-Janeway), JT McNamara.
2) RH Lalor’s Knacky Lad, 12-0, Liz Lalor.
3) Fachtna Twomey’s Tellmeda, 12-0, BJ Foley.
15 Ran. Dist: 2L. 1L. Winner trained in Tubber by John Staunton.

Brian McCarthy Contractors Ltd confined maiden. Three miles.
1) Maria O’Flaherty’s Olor (Winged Love-Near Horizons), 12-0, JT Carroll.
2) Sean O’Brien’s Mullaghmore Glens, 12-0, JT McNamara.
3) Aengus King’s Palazzo Gombeen, 12-0, BJ Foley.
10 Ran. Dist: Hd. 5L. Winner trained in Tubber by Paurick O’Connor.