O’Neill hopeful for Belhabour

The weather proved a real spoilsport last Sunday with the Clare Hunt point-to-point meeting scheduled for Belharbour having to be postponed following a prolonged spell of heavy rain. 
While the track itself was raceable, it was the car parks that caused the problem as surface water had lodged, thus preventing access to the track, leaving the organisers with no option but to cancel.
Thankfully, the meeting has been rescheduled for this Saturday with the same starting time of 1pm and Clare Hunt point-to-point secretary Paul O’Neill is hopeful that the six-race card will go ahead this time round.
“We were very disappointed with having to call off last Sunday’s meeting, but it the end it was down to weather conditions and we felt it would just not have been comfortable for patrons intending to travel to the venue. It was a very close call and we only made a final decision around 9.30 am on Sunday morning following some torrential rain the previous night,” he said.
Looking ahead to next Saturday, Quin man O’Neill is keeping his fingers crossed the meeting will go ahead as planned. “We are very optimistic that we will race on Saturday. The weather improved in the early part of this week, which has been good news for us and it is all systems go now for the weekend.
“We acknowledge that cancelling last Sunday will have disrupted people’s plans but I would appeal to racing fans to come along and support us and enjoy a great day’s racing.”
Meanwhile, the tight-knit point-to-point community and racing in general was plunged into mourning earlier this week following the tragic news that 19-year-old Cork jockey Jack Tyner passed away in the early hours of Monday morning last.  
Tyner, the only son of well-known Cork trainer Robert and his wife Mary, died in Cork University Hospital, where he had been in an induced coma as a result of a serious head injury picked up in a horrific fall at the Dungarvan point-to-point the previous Tuesday.
A talented jockey, Tyner, who had ridden four point-to-point winners to add to his two bumper successes, had just earlier that afternoon ridden one of three winners trained by his father at the Dungarvan meeting before taking a crashing from Dusmagic at the first fence in the concluding mares’ maiden.
He was quickly removed to CUH, where he remained on the critical list until his death early last Monday just hours after undergoing surgery. 
Many tributes have been paid over the past week to the popular Kinsale teenager, with seven-time champion jockey Derek O’Connor, who has had a long and successful association with the Tyner yard, among those to pay his respects.
“Jack had the makings of a great jockey and was a really nice lad so he had everything going for him,” said the Tubber rider. “I was close to him since I started working for his father Robert seven ago and it’s a huge loss and a very sad day for everybody.” 

Joncol likely Hennessy favourite
Last Sunday’s high-profile Hennessy Gold Cup meeting at Leopardstown was also a casualty to the weather and this important fixture, which features four Grade One races, is now set to go ahead this Saturday.
Top UK trainer Paul Nicholls had intended saddling Pride Of Dulcote for this three-mile contest but following Sunday’s cancellation he has now opted to hold the progressive eight-year-old in reserve for a crack at the Betfair Chase at Ascot  on February 19.
While the Hennessy line-up will not be finalised until declaration time later in the week, one confirmed runner in Saturday’s rearranged race is last year’s winner, Joncol. Paul Nolan’s charge showed his liking for the Foxrock venue when powering home under Alain Cawley 12 months ago and Nolan is hoping his charge can make it two in a row.
“We would have preferred if it had gone ahead last Sunday but I suppose everybody is in the same boat,” said the Wexford handler.
“As far as we are concerned, the Hennessy is our Cheltenham for Joncol. Let’s hope we can get him there in one piece and it would be lovely to win it again.”
Joncol is likely to face stiff opposition in the €180,000 event with bang-in-form Willie Mullins likely to saddle Cooldine and Kempes. Cooldine has been a wonderful money-spinner for his Cork owner Violet O’Leary and Paul Townend’s mount has to be a big player, while Kempes, who carries the silks of leading owner JP McManus, is useful on his day.
China Rock is set to represent Mouse Morris and Barry Geraghty while there is three UK raiders pencilled in with Nicky Richard’s Money Trix, old reliable The Listener, who won this race back in 2008, and Madison De Berlais from David Pipe’s powerful yard among the 11 field. 
Saturday’s supporting card at the south Dublin track is excellent. Spancilhill trainer Noel Glynn, whose recent appeal to the BHA (British Horseracing Authority) against the fine imposed following the late withdrawal of his Gonebeyondrecall in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham last November was successful, is looking forward to pitching his exciting novice Old McDonald in against the big boys in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle.
A good winner when landing a gamble at Naas last month, the son of King’s Theatre looked pretty smart on that occasion and Saturday’s race, which is set to feature Zaidpour, Hidden Universe and Shot From The Hip amongst others, will tell a lot as to where he stands in the pecking order of top novice hurdlers.
The opening Juvenile Hurdle on Saturday is also a Grade1 affair where Dermot Weld’s Unaccompanied sets the standard. He impressed when scooting home in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve and victory here would  surely see him contract in price for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
All eyes will be on Mikael D’Haguenet in the Grade 1 Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase. A final fence faller when seemingly cantering all over eventual winner Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse in December, the French import suffered from the ‘bounce’ factor  when a well-beaten fifth to Realt Dubh at Leopardstown over Christmas. It is possible that race came a bit too soon for Mikael D’Haguenet following his Fairyhouse exertions, having returned to action there after a long lay-off and Rich Ricci’s imposing seven-year-old must be given another chance.
Last Saturday’s Contenders Hurdle at Sandown saw last season’s Champion Hurdle hero Binocular complete his preparations for this year’s running when beating 50-1 stable companion Ruthenoise by a length and three-quarters.
Settled in the rear of the four-runner field, Binocular, who went off 1-10 favourite, moved up to tackle the pace-setting Ruthenoise at the final flight before edging clear under Tony McCoy for a bloodless win.
While this wasn’t his most impressive effort ever, it should nevertheless leave Binocular spot-on for his Cheltenham date in the Stan James-sponsored March 13 showpiece.