Ambition fulfilled ....

Lifetime Ambition was certainly the star of the show at the very well supported Island Hunt Point-to-Point staged at Ballycrystal, Kiltealy, Co-Wexford on October 22nd last.

Formerly under the care of Jessica Harrington, the 158 rated chaser has joined the Pat Doyle team and was having his first outing for the Holycross handler here in the seven runner open lightweight, with the 8yr old Kapgarde progeny partnered by the successful trainer’s daughter Susie in this lady riders event.

Sent to post a solid 7/4 shot (from 2/1) Lifetime Ambition had most of these put to the sword before four out, with the recent Castletown Geoghegan winner The Bosses Oscar (4/5-5/4), under Maxine O’Sullivan, the only real danger at this point. O’Sullivan tried her case on the climb to three out but she just could not head the eventual winner and despite a slight error two out by Lifetime Ambition, again O’Sullivan could not get by and eventually went down by 6L at the death.

To be fair the rest of the card was virtually the Barry O’Neill show with the Enniscorthy rider winning four of the five races he was eligible to ride in and, but for a second last fence fall, it could have been five from five.

O’Neill opened his account with the well touted Leaky Cauldron (5/2-4/7), as the son of Well Chosen sluiced up by 5L in the opening 4yr old maiden for which twelve went to post.

The €42k May sale purchase was always in the van throughout under the champion jockey and truth be told, he had this contest in the bag a long way out. O’Neill allowed him stride on just before two out and with a clean jump here and at the last he duly went onto score by 5L, in the shape of a horse who will progress nicely under rules. Cave Article (4-8) and Alan Harney kept at it well to take the runner-up spot.

Trainer Colin Bowe who is recovering from a hip replacement was on hand to greet this winner whom he shares with former professional rider David Mullins.

The second leg of the Barry O’Neill four timer came about in the 5 and 6yr old mares maiden, as he teamed up with Piltown trainer David O’Brien to land this with the ex-track performer Weir Lane (2-3-5/2), a 5yr old daughter of Notnowcato and sporting the colours of his Mullinavat/UK domiciled owner, Mike Allen.

Best for money in this contest was the Robert Tector trained debutante Take A Hike who found 4/5 (from 4/1) and her supporters were on good terms with themselves when Jack Hendrick produced the daughter of Mahler with a wet sail going to three out to be all but on terms with the eventual winner. Rounding the home bend and Barry O’Neill had the all important inside berth and quickly opened up a 2L advantage again, a mistake at this did not help the cause of the jolly and she failed to land a telling blow after that, going down by 2.5L at the death.

A stewards’ enquiry was called after this mares race, but after some deliberation there was no change to the placings.

Unlucky when tipping up in a 4yr old maiden at Borris House back in December, the Colin Bowe trained Big John Wayne (4/6-Ev-4/5) did the business in the seven runner 5yr old geldings maiden with the minimum of fuss.

The towering son of Shantou led from the outset and giving a display of fencing he was in all honesty holding all the aces in this contest. The Jack Hendrick partnered Backinaction (6/4-2) tried their case after the second last, but the debutante son of Soldier Of Fortune showed some very obvious signs of greenness, eventually he went down by 2.5L at the death. He is owned by Armagh man Joe Robb and was bred by him also.

Barry O’Neill rounded off his day with a pillar to post victory on board the Aidan Fitzgerald trained Commander Of Ten (4/5Ev) who dotted up in the concluding 6yr old and upwards maiden,for which eight went to post.

Third on his previous outing at Castletown Geoghegan on his Irish debut, having previously raced for Michael Scudamore in the UK and having attained a rating of 108 there, the son of Doyen was never over troubled here making most and was always containing the effort of the eventual runner-up, Minella Staycation (6-10), the mount of James Coffey, with 2.5L separating the pairing at the line.

At this meet, this four-timer put Barry O’Neill on the nine winner mark for the season, with Colin Bowe also on the nine winner mark, so a familiar trend is emerging already.

Another absent trainer amongst the winners was Rob James, as his recent Loughrea runner-up Rossbridge (2-3-2) under Eoin Staples, ran out a three parts of a length winner in the 4yr old auction maiden (confined to horses bought at public auction costing no more than €25k).

Lady luck may have played a big part of the victory for the son of Affinisea as he looked held in second when the 2L leader Stuntman Steve (7/4-9/4), under Barry O’Neill, crashed out at the second last. His demise left Rossbridge in front under Staples and they ground out the victory from here, scoring by three quarters of a length from Good Cody (3-4) and Jack Hendrick.

ONE TO FOLLOW.... GOING LIVE (MATTHEW FLYNN O’CONNOR)

This 4yr old was having just his second run here having made his debut at Dromahane (finished 6th) back in April. He ran a race rich in promise here to finish fourth beaten 11L, the son of Doyen was held up throughout and the first three got away on him slightly and maybe one to keep onside, maybe would make more of a 5yr old though.