THE annual Muskerry Foxhounds Dawstown point-to-point meeting took place at Birch Hill outside Grenagh on Monday.

The Michael Winters-trained River Vale attained his due reward, following two recent second-placed efforts at Dromahane, by landing the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden.

The seven-year-old River Vale (5/4) moved to the front from the third-fence and he could be called the most likely winner from three out as he was still bowling along merrily at the head of affairs. 

However, the victorious son of Mahler lost some momentum at the second last of the 15 obstacles and he held on grimly as the line approached to deny the staying-on newcomer Oscars Brother by three parts of a length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

It was Chris O’Donovan that partnered River Vale and the Shanballymore native now leads Derek O’Connor, who didn’t ride at the meeting, by one (15 – 14) in the southern regional championship.

Handler Winters remarked of River Vale, owned by the mainly Kanturk-based Down To The Alley Syndicate: “He deserved to win here and he could be a nice horse on soft ground for the winter.“ 

Chris O’Donovan was narrowly foiled in his attempt to record a two-timer as his mount Tuff Days, trained by Fermoy-based handler ‘Trixie’ Barry was beaten one and a half lengths into second spot by the Colin Bowe-trained Theatrical Getaway (3/1) in the closing six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

The recent Dromahane runner-up Tuff Days led from six out, but he was overtaken after two out by the Barry O’Neill-ridden Theatrical Getaway with two and a half lengths the ultimate winning margin.

Bowe commented of the Maria Kavanagh-owned Theatrical Getaway: “Barry [O’Neill] said that he gave him a good feel and he was running well before falling two out at Tinahely back in November. 

"He will now probably run in a winners race.“ 

Bowe and Barry O’Neill actually departed with two winners as they earlier combined to collect the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 14 runners, with Barrack Village (7/2).

A creditable fourth on two previous occasions earlier this season, Barrack Village made the best of her way home from after four out with the winning half-sister to Rubi Light ultimately accounting for Adam Feeney’s mount Stellar Symphony by a widening five lengths.

Tiernan Power Roche was another individual to ride two winners, the County Wexford native opening his account aboard the Harley Dunne-owned/trained newcomer Do It Like A Dude (6/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Libertarian-sired Do It Like A Dude was always positioned on the pace and he edged into a narrow advantage from three out to deny Donal Coffey’s Choose A Copper by a length.

Power Roche then returned to the coveted number one slot aboard the Aidan ‘Scobie’ Fitzgerald-trained Garm Colombe (6/1) in the winners of two.

The seven-year-old Garm Colombe, who was fitted with cheekpieces, made all the running with the victorious French-bred giving an assured round of fencing at the head of affairs.

Garm Colombe was much the faster in the air over the final two fences than the pursuing runner-up Jessmae, one and a half lengths the ultimate winning margin.

Proceedings opened with the four-year-old geldings’ maiden and, in a race that saw all 11 runners completing the course, the Pat Doyle-trained newcomer Elusive Prince (4/1) made his way past long-time leader Paddy In The Caddy before the last to score by a widening one and a half lengths under Pa King.

“He is a nice horse going forwards and he will now go into training with Henry de Bromhead,“ said handler Doyle of Elusive Prince, a 2022 Derby sale graduate that’s owned by Robert Finnegan from Dunmore East.

Next Sunday, the action moves to Bartlemy with the action commencing at 2pm.