Rein-y day at Killaloe

Last Sunday’s East Clare Harriers’ point-to-point at Garranboy, Killaloe, was a resounding success with Quin trainer John O’Neill providing the sole local success when saddling 5/1 shot, He’s A Magpie, ridden by his son Paul, to land the seven-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.
A very consistent son of Yashgan, He’s A Magpie really had to dig deep in the closing stages with the seven-year-old answering every call from his stylish rider to beat Talkin Man by a head.
O’Neill, who trains the winner for well-known local auctioneer Frank Lynch, was thrilled, saying, “I’m delighted for all concerned as he was well due his turn. He travelled and jumped very well today and we’ll have a crack at a winners’ race with him now.”
Training honours for the afternoon went to Cork handler Eugene O’Sullivan who left the popular Flynn family-owned hillside track with two winners.
Pocket Reader (2/1) gave the Lombardstown native his first success when taking the opening winners of two events, running on best in the closing stages under his enthusiastic jockey/owner Fergus O’Connor to beat Oppera by half a length.
O’Sullivan completed a first and last race double when his classy mare The Blarney Rose justified 9/10 favouritism in the concluding mares’ open.
Always travelling with ease, this daughter of Oscar pulled right away after the second last fence under her owner’s son Brendan Crowley to beat Niall Kelleher’s recent Bellharbour maiden winner Vickys Lass by six lengths.
The winner will now go on to contest the prestigious Gain Mares’ Final at Ballynoe before heading to the Cork Racecourse Mallow for a hunter’s chase over Easter.
Another Cork handler got in on the act when Doneraile-based John Joe Walsh took the seven-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden with the well-backed Puntabrook.
Supported from 11/4 into 7/4, the winner was always finding that bit on the run to the line under Ambrose McCurtin and had a length and a half to spare at the finish over runner-up Icanjumpcanyou.
Liz Lalor is a very capable jockey and the Clonmel lass was on the mark in the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden where she brought 2/1 shot Carrigeen Lonicera home in front.
Trained by her father Dick, Carrigeen Lonicera turned in an immaculate round of jumping en-route to a facile 15-length success over Mullane’s Bridge and this home-bred daughter of Old Vic will now be aimed at a bumper.
Punters also got in right in the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden where Andy Slattery’s Clonmore Lad (4/1-6/4F) landed a bit of touch.
This lightly-raced sort was returning to action following a year off but Tipperary-based Slattery had his charge ready to rumble and he found plenty when popped the question by jockey Stephen Byrne to beat Royale Knight by a head after a terrific tussle between the pair.

Results
(Going: Soft)

Winners of two – 3 miles
1. Miss IT Walsh’s Pocket Reader (Sonus-Jurado Park) 12-0 F O’Connor; 2. Ru Serious syndicate’s Oppera BP O’Neill; 3. Mary Maloney’s Gale Force Oscar 12-0 K Power.
7 ran: dist: 1L. 12L. 3L. Winner trained in Cork by Eugene O’Sullivan.

Five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden – 3 miles
1. Patrick Joyce’s Clonmore Lad (Bal Harbour-Hello Aris) 12-0 SR Byrne; 2. Carol O’Neill’s Royale Knight 12-0 PJ O’Neill; 3. Stuart Crowley’s Ballyness 12-0 B Crowley.
12 ran: dist: Hd. 5L. Dist. Winner trained in Tipperary by Andy Slattery.

Five and six-year-old mares’ maiden – 3 miles
1. Mrs RH Lalor’s Carrigeen Lonicera (Old Vic-Carigeen Lily) 12-0 Ms Liz Lalor; 2. M Joseph O’Connor’s Mullane’s Bridge 12-0 BJ Foley; 3. Anne Sheehan’s Zarzamora 12-0 KS Norris.
7 ran: dist: 15L. Dist. Winner trained in Tipperary by Dick Lalor.

Seven-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden – 3 miles
1. F Lynch’s He’s A Magpie (Yashgan-Little Jinks) 12-0 PJ O’Neill; 2. S McNamara’s Talkin Point 12-0 JJ King; 3. J Flaherty’s Lost Post 12-0 JP Ryan.
14 ran: dist: Hd. 10L. 1L. Winner trained in Quin by John O’Neill.

Seven-year-old and upward mares’ maiden – 3 miles
1. John Madden’s Puntabrook (Alderbrook-Propunt) 12-0 Mr A McCurtin; 2. Tom Baker and Gary Boyle’s Icanjumpcanyou 12-0 BJ Foley; 3. Ms Edel M Ryan’s See To Believe W.McMahon.
13 ran: dist: 11/2L. 2L. 15L. Winner trained in Cork by John Joe Walsh.

Mares’ open – 3 miles
1. Stuart Crowley’s The Blarney Rose (Oscar-Lantern Lark) 12-0 B Crowley; 2. John Joseph Walsh’s Vickys Lass 12-0 PJ O’Neill; 3. Michael Hourigan’s Dizzy Rascal 12-0 DF Bourke.
9 ran: dist: 6L. 2L. 1/2L. Winner trained in Cork by Eugene O’Sullivan.