Clonmult Dungourney Point-to-Point: Darragh Allen delivers double at Boulta

THERE was some outstanding fare at yesterday’s Clonmult Dungourney Point-to-Point fixture, staged under the auspices of the United Foxhounds at Boulta, and Darragh Allen experienced an outstanding afternoon by partnering two winners.

The Araglen native completed his brace by landing the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden aboard the Padraig Butler-trained Fons Vivus.

Last month’s Dromahane third Fons Vivus (5/1) benefited from frontrunning tactics and, having jumped soundly in front, she stayed on stoutly in the closing stages in a race that saw two out of the 14 fences bypassed to beat Larkfield Legacy by two lengths.

Timoleague-based handler Butler, who shares ownership of Fons Vivus with his brother JJ, reported of the victorious Fame And Glory-sired five-year-old: “She’s a smart mare and she jumped great. The soft ground helped her and we will probably now run her in a mares’ bumper over Christmas.”

Butler trains just three horses at present and he sent out his first track winner back in October when Da Capo Glory won a bumper at Galway.

Allen experienced the best possible start to the afternoon by combining with long-standing ally Terence O’Brien to capture the first division of the four-year-old mares’ maiden with Copperfasten (2/1).

The Flemensfirth-sired Copperfasten, also homebred by Carrigtwohill-based O’Brien, overcame interference five out by leading from the second last to deny Desert Fortune by a short head in what was the closest finish of the afternoon. O’Brien was absent, but the indications are that smart Copperfasten will now be sold.

Rob James, likewise, departed with two winners and he opened his account aboard Donnchadh Doyle’s well-touted favourite Madmansgame (5/4 – 5/6) in the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, much to the dismay of the six bookmakers present.

The Blue Bresil-sired Madmansgame, a physically-imposing Derby sale graduate, led from three out and he ultimately beat Horizon D’Or by three lengths.

It was Ballindaggin-based handler Doyle that supplied James with his remaining winner Grandero Bello (4/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The previously twice-placed Grandero Bello made the best of his way home from before two out to dispose of Gavroche D’allier by six lengths.

Eugene O’Sullivan’s newcomer Meetingofthewaters (6/1), a son of Court Cave that sports the It Came To Pass silks of Manchester-domiciled owner Mrs Alurie O’Sullivan, created a very favourable impression by coming from well off the pace to win the second split of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Meetingofthewaters, who was last with five fences remaining, arrived to pick up the running after two out and he forged clear in taking fashion on the flat to see off Knockanord by three lengths under his trainer’s daughter Maxine O’Sullivan.

This race is always very competitive, but we were confident coming here. 

"He’s a lovely horse that I train for a great owner in Alurie O’Sullivan and her husband Ger and we will have a chat now as to regards future plans,” said handler O’Sullivan of Meetingofthewaters.

Mitchelstown amateur Eoin O’Brien kept his supporters happy by teaming up with Andy Slattery to collect the second division of the four-year-old mares’ maiden with Missed Tee (3/1), a Fame And Glory-sired newcomer that led from three out to account for Cluain Aodha by 12 lengths.

EXPERIENCE

Jimmy Mangan likes nothing more than to have a winner at this venue and the locally-based Conna handler was on the mark with Reign Supreme (3/1), a runner-up at Lismore in March 2020, who made virtually all the running with Johnny Hurley to dismiss Calling Arc by a length in the closing five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden.

Meanwhile, Exit Eleven (7/2) supplemented his victory at the November 28 meeting here at Boulta by leading from the last with his handler Debbie Cody’s 20-year-old daughter Emily Cody to edge out Susie Miller by a length in the winners of two. A Limerick hunters chase over Christmas will now feature for Exit Eleven.