Joy for Rebel County as Cork connections dominate Tipperary Point to Point

The traditional Point To Point card at Tipperary Racecourse produced plenty of success under rules from a Cork perspective. 

Owners, trainers and jockeys from the Rebel county were in the winners enclosure through the evening at the sun-drenched venue.

On an evening of Cork-themed joy, it was rather appropriate that The Rebel County should land the Buy Tickets Online Novice Hunters Chase. He is trained here in Cork at Moanig in Leamlara by Garrett, Ahern and was ridden by his son Josh. The five-year-old had won at Ballyknock last month on his second start for his current owners. On that occasion, Josh Aherne was also on board. 

He'd been trained by Noel Meade and had previously sported the silks of the popular Cork businessman Tomás Singleton. The son of Harzand was well-backed in the ring from 16/1 into 10/1, despite the presence of the uneasy 13/8 market leader Cause For Comment who was ridden by Patrick Mullins sporting his mother's silks. 

The race developed into a match between the favourite and The Rebel County as they swung for home. It was quickly apparent that Josh Aherne's mount was travelling much the better of that pair. Josh kicked for touch on the run to the final fence - he eventually had eight lengths to spare over the one-paced favourite. 

SWEET

After, the jockey indicated that the win wasn't unexpected. 

We fancied him as he won his point-to-point nicely, he sweated up beforehand but he carried me the whole way and flew home." 

The fact he added a racecourse victory to his Ballyknock success was particularly sweet. "The public are here today and the owners were up for it too so it means a lot." 

The winner came from Noel Meade's yard and had been owned by Singleton, who was present in Tipperary. He wanted to give him an opportunity in different surroundings. 

Seanie Farrell well known in GAA circles, got a syndicate going with other members from Tipperary and Waterford. He is also involved in Jessie Evans with Tomas who has gone close in the Galway Hurdle on a number of occasions. He ran particularly well in a Grade One contest at last week's Punchestown festival behind Majborough. The Galway Plate is on his radar in July.

Another Cork father and son combination struck earlier on the card. Trainer Alex Ott who trains Inchidaly Copper in Boherbue saw his son Luke Burke-Ott galvanise Inchidaly Copper to land the Join Racing TV Now With A Free Month Trial Handicap He'd won on his previous outing at Killarney last October and was nibbled at in the market into 12/1. 

He led at the second last but wasn't foot-perfect at the last. That appeared to gift the contest to the luckless In The Trenches but he rallied to the line getting up in the dying embers to secure a neck victory. In The Trenches had to settle for second yet again.

LUCRATIVE

Lisgoold jockey Paul Townend had kick-started a lucrative evening from a Cork perspective in the opener. Willie Mullins, Townend and Gigginstown House Stud combined with Gold Dancer in the Hotel Minella Beginners Chase.

He disappointed since coming from France, and was a market drifter out to 3/1. He was joined by Le Coq Hardi at the second last. 

Townend asked him to extend and he was electric at the final fence stretching four lengths clear on the run-in. 

Le Coq Hardi, part-owned by Cork entrepreneur Dan Kiely, was an honourable second under Rachael Blackmore and is a moral to win a beginners chase. 

Doneraile jockey Darragh O'Keeffe was also on the scoresheet at Tipperary. He partnered St Faz to win an attritional Botanica International Handicap Chase. Edward O'Grady’s five-year-old was all the rage in the ring from 5/1 into 5/2 to win for owner Aidan Ryan.