Good meet for the Wexford Hunt The well received new course (good viewing – three fences on rising ground in the straight) for the Wexford Hunt at Moorfields, Ballinaboola, New Ross saw nine races run off before a healthy attendance. Action concluded at about 3.35 and enthusiasts in the area are already looking forward to the next meeting here at the end of January. Robert Tyner and Con McSweeney had a double which was completed in the concluding Horse And Hound Inn Ballinaboola six-year-old geldings maiden. Seventeen set out here but only three managed to complete with Arctic Tale staying on dourly under McSweeney (his twelfth winner) to beat off Miley Shah by four lengths. Arctic Tale had one previous effort to his name, unseating then at Maralin back in November and the Tyner runner was best for money here, heading the market at the off. Arctic Tale is by Beechbrook Stud's Mr Combustible and so was Tyner's other winner, Goulanes. This fellow won division two of the Michael & Damien Doyle New Ross maiden race for 5yo geldings. The fifteen competitors here were an impressive bunch on parade ring inspection and a big gamble on Cormac Farrell's attractive Talkin Man gelding, Tyrone Tiger, went astray, as that one pulled up, obviously 'wrong.' At the business end, Goulanes got the better of Art Lord by two lengths with a three length gap back to Tony Martin's third placed Massini Royale. Goulanes was second on his only previous outing, at Loughrea, behind Sam Curling's Master Of The Game (sold recently at Cheltenham for £78,000). McSweeney said: "He is a nice horse and he showed that first time too with a good run at Loughrea." - Dead-heat The opening split of this Michael & Damien Doyle New Ross maiden race for 5yo geldings saw the judge unable to split Tom Power's Southside under Niall Redmond (rode Benefit Of Porter to win at bumper at Tramore last year) and Leonard Whitmore's Tusker View (Mark Byrne up). Ted Walsh's Hinesight was still in with every chance here when he came down at the last under Peter Flood. - Compo for Flood Flood later gained compensation when deputising for Katie Walsh on Seabass in the Ballywalter Farms Open Lightweight. This Turtle Island gelding has a 'point' and two track wins under his belt but he was appearing here in public for the first time since winning at Fairyhouse in Februrary 2010 (a 649 day break). Riding only his second winner, Flood proved well up to the task as he got Seabass home by a length and a half from Saddlers Storm. Saddlers Storm is of course a three time winner on the racecourse proper and he was having his first run here since pulling up in the Irish Grand National last April. They left the promising former track winner Glaczer Flyer fifteen lengths back in third whilst three time track winner Chasing Cars faded to finish fourth under Kate Harrington. This was Harrington's initial spin 'between the flags.' Katie Walsh came a cropper at the last in the preceding Cooney Furlong Perpetual Trophy Winners Of Two. On the Barry Connell (in attendance) owned Paul Nolan-trained favourite Batiatus, Walsh needed a big jump at the last to give herself any chance of getting to Barnlands Boy. Batiatus came to grief leaving Barnlands Boy to score by ten lengths. Colin Motherway was on Barnlands Boy for Philip Redmond. The Churlish Charm gelding was adding to his gains from Ballydarragh last week. - The four-year-olds Jarob's win in the opener is detailed elsewhere whilst in the other divide of that English's Fruit Nurseries Maiden Race for 4yos, Whatsupjack, bred by Denis Reddan and owned and trained by the Cousins', Paul and James, won the best turned out prize and he proved a gritty customer out on the track too. The Catcher In The Rye gelding showed the benefit of two runs in the spring by staying on powerfully under Benny Walsh to beat Indian Gale (Tyner & McSweeney) by three lengths. - What a story The Global Reach Securities Maiden Race for 5yo and upwards mares confined (for the Wexford Perpetual Cup) was divided with heat one going to Alystar. Sonny Carey produced this daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar with perfect timing to prevail by four lengths from the well-tried Princess Roisibhin. Willie Murphy trains the Barronstown Stud-bred Alystar for Theresa Abbey and the five-year-old is out of the Sadler's Wells mare Arpege. She was previously trained by both Paul Cole (she cost him 200,000 Euros as a yearling) and Nicky Henderson cross-channel. Solid Concrete won the other divide for the John and Aaron Walsh. Feisty Lass 'missed' the last and that handed the initiative to Solid Concrete who went on to score by three lengths. - Punters on top With several fancied horses winning it wasn't surprising to hear many of the seventeen bookmakers present claiming to have lost money on the day. - Notable spectator Jump jockey Andrew McNamara was present complete with neck brace which he hopes to have removed on Tuesday. The brace was necessary after a fall McNamara got from Askanna at Navan last Sunday.
