Great day for Jimmy Mangan at the Bandon Point to Point meeting at Kilpatrick

THE 40th annual running of the Bandon point-to-point fixture at Kilpatrick took place on Sunday.

Former Aintree Grand National winning handler Jimmy Mangan kept his many supporters happy by combining with Johnny Hurley to collect the final two races with the pair singing off courtesy of Glady Max in a vintage renewal of the winners of one.

Glady Max (3/1- 5/2), having won the Ballindenisk adjacent hunts maiden on his penultimate start in December, set out to make all the running and the six-year-old gave an assured round of fencing at the head of affairs. 

Whilst challenged by runner-up Bartlemy Boy on the approach to the final of the 14 obstacles, the eventual winner was clearly travelling best on take off to the last and he duly asserted on the flat to contain ‘Trixie’ Barry’s charge by three lengths in the colours of the Any Given Day Syndicate.

“Derek O’Connor rode him from off the pace the last day when he fell two out in a winners race at Turtulla. 

"Derek was happy with him at the time,“ reported Mangan of the Maxios-sired Glady Max. 

“We said that we would let him bowl along in front today if there wasn’t much pace. It’s great that he has won and the plan now is the hunters chase at Cork on Easter Monday.“ 

Mangan and Hurley got off the mark with Forest Rock (5/4) in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden, much to the dismay of the seven bookmakers present. 

Forest Rock, a Mangan homebred that was already a dual runner-up this year at Ballindenisk and Tallow, likewise benefited from frontrunning tactics and he survived an extremely anxious moment at the final fence to see off ex track performer Keeptheoldmanout by a half-length.

“He’s a fine, big horse that would be a lovely sort for someone to run in hunter chases in Britain,“ said Mangan of the towering Forest Rock, whom Ballynoe-based owner Edward Hartnett purchased from his wife Mary as a foal.

Johnny Barry similarly was in double form with the Conna native opening his account aboard the Michael Griffin-trained newcomer Little Ajay (6/4) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. 

The patiently-ridden Little Ajay, the very first horse that Griffin has handled for Midleton-based owner Alan Grey, arrived from off the pace to take command before the final fence. 

With his closest pursuer Give Him A Chance unseating here when in the region of six lengths adrift in second spot, Little Ajay duly beat Potters Voyage by 16 and a half lengths.

Barry then combined with absent handler Mikey Kennedy to collect the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden with clear form choice Simply The Bestone (4/5 – 2/5). 

Runner-up on his previous start at Nenagh just two weeks earlier, Simply The Bestone led from the second fence with the Conor Murphy-owned/bred five-year-old son of Westerner storming clear before the last to dismiss the only other finisher No Pains No Gains by 18 lengths.

Upton-based handler Kennedy’s representative Jamie Hurley remarked of Simply The Bestone: “He had a couple of good runs this season and it’s great that he has won here at our local meeting. 

"I’d imagine that he will now go for a winners race, provided that he is not sold.“ 

Next Sunday, the annual Lismore meeting takes place (1pm start).