Two winners for O’Connor

A fine crowd turned out to last Saturday’s rearranged County Clare Hunt point-to-point meeting at Belharbour, where local favourite Derek O’Connor kept his supporters happy when riding two winners.

The seven-time champion paid his first visit of the afternoon to the winner’s enclosure when steering the Jason Titley-trained 4-5 favourite Robbie McMahon to victory in the confined maiden.
Named after the man credited with making The Cross Of Spancilhill an iconic anthem of County Clare, well-known balladeer Robbie McMahon from Spancilhill, this son of City Honours, went to the head of affairs after two and ran on in good style to beat John Hassett’s Autumn Day by eight lengths.
“He’s a nice horse,” said former Grand National-winning jockey Titley, who has care of the winner for the 10-strong Hill Syndicate. “I thought he would win today and did it impressively. There is a lot of improvement to come and Derek (O’Connor) said he thinks he’ll win plenty more races.”
O’Connor completed his double in the first division of the concluding mares’ maiden when he brought well-backed 7-4 favourite Meenoughter Lass home in front. Trained in Cashel, County Tipperary by Sam Curling for Cork owner John Draddy, this mare by Dr Massini quickened up impressively when asked to do so by O’Connor, pulling clear off the home bend to beat the Becky Smith-ridden Domestic Dispute by five lengths.
Jockey James ‘Corky’ Carroll was also in double form at the meeting and his afternoon got off to the perfect start as his mount, Im An Ace, was gifted the opening four-year-old maiden.
Hot favourite Tackmaster (2-5) had this five-runner contest in the bag under Derek O’Connor when heading towards the final fence with a clear advantage but Pat Doyle’s Gigginstown House newcomer fell here leaving Im An Ace to beat runner-up Chicharito by a length and a half. Ciaran Murphy trains the winner at the Charlestown Stud in County Westmeath.
Charleville-born Carroll went on to complete a first and last race double when guiding smart-looking newcomer Venusinfurs (5-1-2-1) to victory in the second division of the closing mares’ maiden.
Owned and trained in Thurles by Mark Molloy, the daughter of Heron Island found plenty when required to beat 5-4 favourite Zakharyina by three lengths.
Molloy had earlier initiated a training double when sending out the Kevin Power-ridden Ely Brown to land the six-year-old geldings’ maiden.
In front well before the final fence, the winner, who carries the silks of Molloy’s Tipperary neighbour Nicholas Morrissey, was not to be denied, running on strongly in the closing stages to beat Noble Chic by a clear-cut eight lengths.
Fourteen faced the starter in the winners’ race with the bookies again having the better of the argument as 7-1 shot Fethard Bleu came home late in the hands of Roger Quinlan to deny Bobby’s Last by half a length. Owned and trained in Tipperary by Willie Treacy, Fethard Bleu’s next outing is in a hunter’s chase.
Newcomer Jimbill created quite an impression when making a winning debut for trainer Matthew Daly and jockey Ciaran Fennessy in the nine-runner five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
A market-drifter from 6-1 to 8-1, the Flying Legend gelding led by two and, despite a slow jump at the last, he had enough in reserve to beat runner-up Godsmejudge by half a length. Croom-based Daly trains the winner for joint-owners Joan and Michael Toomey from Adare.

Results
O’Neill Bookmakers four-year-old maiden. 2.5m
1. Im An Ace (IRE) 4-1
2. 1 ½L Chicharito (IRE) 3-1
3. 10L Im Cool Too (IRE) 5-1
Trainer, Ciaran M Murphy, jockey JT Carroll, owner Charlestown Stud
Monks Bar & Restaurant Confined Maiden. 3m
1. Robbie McMahon (IRE) 4-5F
2. 8L Autumn Day (IRE) 7-2
3. 1L Paddysparks (IRE) 5-2
Trainer, Jason Titley, jockey Derek O’Connor, owner Hill Syndicate
Pier Head Bar & Restaurant five-year-old geldings’ maiden. 3m
1. Jimbill (IRE) 8-1
2. ½L Godsmejudge (IRE) 3-1
3. 1L Ohwhatanight (IRE) 5-2F
Trainer, Matthew A Daly, jockey CW Fennessy, owner Joan and Michael Toomey
Michael Kelly Engineering, Phillip Farrelly & Co & Gort Mart Ltd six-year-old geldings’ maiden. 3m
1. Ely Brown (IRE) 7-1
2. 8L Noble Chic (GB) 4-5F
3. 3L Tax Benefit (IRE) 12-1
Trainer, MA Molloy, jockey KE Power, owner Nicholas Morrissey
Peter Healy & John Curley & Co Ltd winners of one. 3m
1. Fethard Bleu (IRE) 7-1
2. ½L Bobby’s Last (IRE) 10-1
3. 5L Mare Of Milan (IRE) 5-1
Trainer WF Treacy, jockey RP Quinlan, owner WF Treacy
Gain Horse Feeds & Bernard Gillane & Co Ltd five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden (Division One). 3m
1. Meenoughter Lass (IRE) 7-4F
2. 5L Domestic Dispute (IRE) 6-1
3. hd Time To Present (IRE) 7-2
Trainer, Sam Curling, jockey Derek O’Connor, owner John Draddy
5yo+ Mares Maiden (DIV 2). 3m
1. Venusinfurs (IRE) 2-1
2. 3L Zakharyina (IRE) 5-4F
3. ½L Jozara (IRE) 6-1
Trainer MA Molloy, jockey JT Carroll, owner Mark Molloy