Report | Taylorstown 28th Apr 18

The newcomer Court Jurado got last weekend's proceedings off to the best possible start for Donnachadh Doyle when landing the opening division of the Dennison Commercials four-year-old maiden in the hands of Jimmy O'Rourke. The Court Cave gelding, who raced up with the pace throughout, saw off a strong challenge from rivals approaching the final fence and picked up again on the run in to win by a length-and-a-half over fellow debutant One More Fleurie.

“He is a lovely horse, very straight forward. I just tipped away up the front the whole way and he jumped well and battled hard when I needed him,” said winning rider O’Rourke in the absence of handler Doyle.

Mark O'Hare and Jerry Cosgrave continued what has been a great week for the partnership, which saw last week’s Dromahane winner Honeysuckle realise €110,000 at the Punchestown sales on Thursday. The opening leg of a two timer for O'Hare was initiated when winning the second division of the Dennison Commercials four-year-old maiden, with Neville Reid’s Everybreathyoutake by ten-lengths over Beaufort West.

“He did that very well. We ran him at Tyrella and he was cruising. He jumped the fourth-last and he got into a bit of a tussle and got banged and lost a shoe. Mark (O’Hare) saw the shoe go flying up so pulled him up that day and did the right thing. He loves being out in front and gave a good exhibition today. The horse is bred by Neville’s father so it is a great win for them,” remarked Jerry Cosgrave of Everybreathyoutake, who is now sales bound.

The second leg of O'Hare’s brace came in the penultimate race when he teamed up with Colin McBratney to take the Franco Hughes sponsored six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden aboard the Cathal McGovern-owned Captain Cook. The son of Noroit was all out at the finish to just hold off Happy Lad by a neck, providing the German sire with his first Irish point-to-point winner.

“I am glad that he won today for Cathal (McGovern) who is a local man. Ballyholland won here for him too and went on to win the Galway Plate. He will be entered in the hunter chase at Downpatrick now and we will see how he comes out of this,” reported McBratney.

The Derrylecka Bedding Centre five-year-old geldings’ maiden went the way of the Karl-Thornton-trained Shanroe Smooch in the colours of Brian Smith. The son of Ask has improved with each of his three previous starts and responded favourably to an assertive ride from Paul Bannon who sent him to the lead after the third last and he kept on best to lead home Go Hard or Go Home.

“He did that well. He has been improving all the time so we will hopefully go to the sales with him now,” commented Smyth of his own Shanroe Smooch, who was a €8,400 purchase at Tattersalls in 2016.

James Lambe was rewarded for his patience when Drumconnor Girl scored in The Seven Stars mares’ maiden under Harley Dunne, to defeat the Mark O'Hare-ridden Presenting Rio. The daughter of Generous had shown ability having finished second on four previous starts and most recently was just denied by a length at Bellurgan a fortnight ago.

“She has been a very unlucky mare. She has a good pedigree and she probably shouldn’t have still been a maiden coming into this. Harley (Dunne) gave her a great ride and we will make a decision later on as to where we go now," remarked Lambe of Drumconnor Girl, who is owned by Martin Abernathy.

A disappointing field of just two runners lined up for the Boyds Stores open in which Howwoulduno was very reluctant to start leaving Vinnie Luck 30-lengths clear from the get go. The Ray Nicholas' Sporting Pointers Syndicate-owned son of Vinnie Roe would not have needed the advantage as he raced to a facile victory by an impressive 15-lengths in the hands of Barry O'Neill.

David Christie stated of his charge; “What can you say. He loves this ground and Barry (O’Neill) said that when he heard the other horse coming at him coming down the hill he gave him a squeeze and away he went. He will run away in open’s as this is his ground now and then we might go to Killarney. He is better when left-handed but he did it well out on his own there today.”

Having his third run for new connections, Spud's Trouble, who was second in Largy just one week ago, went one better when landing the Philip McCabe Quantity Surveyor winner of one, getting up on the line under Simon Cavanagh to deny Inishbel by a head.

“We were very hopeful after Largy and we knew that this track would suit him. He is a real gentleman of a horse that I ride out myself," divulged Dougan of his own Spud's Trouble. "We will keep him going and he will go to Tallanstown next week all being well.”