Exciting 'pointer' Island Confusion represents Lucinda Russell and Graham Watters at Ayr today© Photo Healy Racing
Thankfully Ayr got the go-ahead this morning and one of the most interesting races of the day is the concluding Talk To Victor Standard Open NH Flat Race at 5.00. The in-form Crawford team have the favourite here, Fine Rightly, but below we look back on the report from Island Confusion's point-to-point win from 114 days. Read on.
It's always a feather in the cap of any trainer to win with a horse coming from a different yard, first time out. Eoin Doyle has been on the mark twice in point-to-points in the last eight days with runners having their initial outing for the Mooncoin outfit.
Firstly Island Confusion made the headlines for his performance at the Kilmoganny Foxhounds point-to-point fixture at Cregg outside Carrick-On-Suir last Sunday.
Doyle sourced the Heron Island four-year-old for €42,000 at the Goffs Invitation Sale at the Punchestown Festival in April after he'd finished second for the David Harry Kelly yard to Inch Rock on his debut at Quakerstown.
As was the case with Chance A Grand the previous weekend at Maralin, Pat Collins was entrusted with the mount on the Doyle horse. Island Confusion went off a strong favourite for the second split of the Local Trainers 4-y-o Maiden and in truth his backers never had too many worries.
Making all, the imposing youngster went away from Rockchasebullett (has form tying-in with the impressive Plumpton bumper winner Hannibal The Great) from the back of the second last. The last was bypassed and in the end Island Confusion, sporting the silks of Doyle's mother Pauline came home six lengths to the good.
Doyle explained: "He jumped well and travelled well. I think a lot of him, I think he's very good.
"He developed and got a lot stronger over the summer. He's a straight-forward horse and he has great scope for jumping.
"There is a good bit of interest in him and we'll see. He could be on the market but if we can't get the right money for him we’ll probably go to the track. I might try him in a bumper.
"He stays galloping. He has a good cruising speed. Down the road he'll be a chaser. He's a good straight-forward horse and a fine big one at that.
"I had one or two by Heron Island before, young horses that never developed into anything.
"It was a new track this year. They moved it to Kilsheelan.
"Our fella went from the front. It was genuine good ground. He just made the running the whole way and he never looked like getting beat to be honest.
"He couldn't have done it any better. He's grand this morning and all he could do was win the way he did." (EM)
