More Smart Prospects Emerge For Walk In The Park

Country Park (4g Walk In The Park - Glacial Drift, by Rail Link) rallied gamely to become the first of three smart point-to-point winners by his sire over the weekend.

Barry O’Neill took the ride aboard Colin Bowe’s newcomer in the four-year-old maiden at Quakerstown and never strayed far from the leader throughout. Delivered to challenge at the final fence, he kept on well on the run-in to beat Maximum Offers (Getaway) by a head, with the pair finishing six lengths clear of the third.

Country Park is a full-brother to bumper winner Goodtimecrew (Walk In The Park), who Bowe sold for £135,000 last year. The sons of Walk In The Park were bred by Pate and Herine Bloodstock.

The very next race, a five-year-old maiden, saw another thrilling finish filled by Grange Stud sires past and present. The Riceal Dunne-trained newcomer The Pooka (5g Walk In The Park - Flaming Annie, by Flemensfirth) creeped into contention from three out and improved to dispute at the second last. Digging deep on the run-in, he got up to beat Tory Hill (Milan) by a neck on the line, with the pair drawing 24 lengths clear of the rest of the field.

Owned by the Stylebawn Syndicate, the €67,000 store sale buy was bred by Miss Catriona Tully.

At Tinahely the following day, Big Stage (5g Walk In The Park - Ceann Phoil Cailin, by Flemensfirth) shaped like a smart prospect when making a winning debut under Barry O’Neill.

Gordon Elliott’s charge made virtually all of the running and asserted before the final fence, keeping on to score by three and a half lengths. The €100,000 store sale buy was bred by AV and Minch Bloodstock out of a full-sister to Grade 1 winner Defy Logic (Flemensfirth).