Maiden Winners Kick Off Super Sunday For Soldier Of Fortune

Big Interest (5g Soldier Of Fortune – Rainbow Gale, by Rashar) built on last month’s promising debut to run out a wide margin at Lismore on Sunday.

Sean Doyle’s charge was sent off favourite on debut at Oldtown, where he finished a fine fourth, and was reunited with Jamie Scallan on his second start. Chasing the leaders for much of the way, he improved to lead with three fences to jump and boasted a clear advantage by the second last. Drawing further clear all the while, he went on to win by a distance.

Owned by Gearoid Doyle and bred by Andrew Pierce, Big Interest completed a point-to-point maiden double for his sire, with Get Off Your Phone (5m Soldier Of Fortune – Merrylas, by Mister Lord) having earlier scored at Lingstown.

Runner-up last time out, the Darragh Berry-trained chesnut was partnered by Shane O’Rourke in the five-year-old mares maiden. Tracking the leaders, she led before the second last and was ridden out on the run-in to win by a length and a half. The leading pair finishing 12 lengths clear of the remainder.

Get Off Your Phone was bred by Nicholas Dee out of Merrylas, who has a four-year-old full-sister to the winner. Soldier Of Fortune’s fine run continued under rules later that afternoon, as a pair of newcomers won bumpers at Limerick at Warwick.