Mahler Crowned Champion Point To Point Sire
Three winners at the weekend sealed Mahler’s second champion sire title for the 2022/2023 Irish point-to-point season, with his 30th and final success coming courtesy of Bennettshill(6g Mahler - Brienna, by Brian Boru) in Sunday’s six-year-old maiden at Ballingarry.
Johnny Barry steered Willie Tracy’s charge to a four length win on his second start, having finished a promising fifth on his only previous start in a Dromahane maiden. The improving bay becomes the first winner bred by Maurice Harrington out of the mare Brienna.
At Inchydoney earlier that afternoon, Chief Lady (4m Mahler - Graceann, by Scorpion) provided young James Cousin with his first success in the saddle when winning the four-year-old mares’ maiden in good style.
Bred by Cousins’ sister Grace and trained by Rob James, the daughter of Mahler was making her second start on Sunday and raced in midfield for much of the way. Making headway from three out, she led after the second last and kept on well to score by three lengths.
At Ballingarry the previous day, Aughafatten (5g Mahler - Olivia Rose, by Mujadil) prevailed in a thrilling finish to the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
The Ger Quinn-trained bay finished third at Toomebridge earlier this month and was ridden by Dara McGill for the first time on Saturday. Settled in midfield, he began to improve from five out and led from the third last. Digging deep on the run-in, he denied Minella Miracle (Getaway) by a neck on the line, with the pair finishing 14 lengths clear of the remainder.
Bred by Mrs Deborah Hobson, Aughafatten is a full-brother to talented chaser Delusionofgrandeur (Mahler).