Colcannon strike under Derek O’Connor to complete a 37-1 treble for trainer Noel Mead

Saturday at Ballybrit was a repeat as Noel Mead’s 37-1 treble was a reminder of the days when the former champion trainer was a dominant force in Irish jumping.

Mead would probably have enjoyed the third leg of his treble with Derek O’Connor partnered Colcannon install the final bumper.

He was unfortunately disqualified after crashing into the bumper at Punchestown in February when his rider Finn Tegetmeyer weighed in the featherweight. It was still on Mead’s mind after the race.

He said: “The day he won at Punchestown was his D-day because he went downhill after that, he was just an immature four-year-old and he’s still growing. He grew a lot over the summer.”

He added: “Derek said he was very hard on himself; he just runs too hard. Hopefully now we can get him to relax and he will jump. He won’t run into bumper cars with it anymore. If he’s still in good form we’ll also run him on the Flat next year, he’ll win 1m4f, no problem.”

Messerschmitt smashes opponents

Mead initiated his 37-1 treble in the initial juvenile maiden when his own horse Messerschmitt bounced back strongly from an unfortunate defeat on the Flat at Thurles to win under Don Meyler.

Doppelgänger was brought up when Sports park impressively won the Graded Novice Chase, the only race over fences on the card, under Meade’s former stable jockey Sean Flanagan.

Mead, who was successful in the Galway Plate with Pinkerton for the same owner Philip Polley in the summer, said: “He has been changed by fences this year but he has been a different horse since he came back. We were worried about going back on the trip, but maybe the trip was right. He walks on soft ground.”

The next objective may be to chase the Drynmore novices in the House of Faeries.

Hogan is on the rise

Calum Hogan is a young contender and his association with Eric McNamara’s red-hot stable played a part as the day saw the second leg of the 3m hurdles pair on Meehall for the Rathkeale coach.

The eight-year-old recorded his second win over the course and distance under Hogan’s confident ride when he broke away from the last to score by three and three-quarter lengths from Walk In Time.

Hogan began his double in the 2m first hurdle run on the improvement Skotkant for Eoin McCarthy. He kept his head from the long-missing Downmexicoway and confirmed another bargain purchase for McCarthy.

He shelled out just €6,000, which was generously repaid with €11,800 in prize money and €12,500 in bonuses.

McCarthy said: “He’s really stuck with it and wouldn’t want the ground to be softer. It’s hard to beat a young man who rides with such confidence.”

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