Matt 'Strawberry' O'Connor had an afternoon to remember at Belharbour when riding a double, aboard two of the most noteworthy winners of the session, beginning on Denis Murphy's Classical Twist in the Linnane's Bar & Restaurant, New Quay 4yo Maiden at the County Clare Hunt meeting on Sunday.

Nenagh man Pat Coffey owns this son of Oscar and he was always on the pace in this eleven runner contest. When the tempo quickened Classical Twist was ideally placed to strike for home as the Gigginstown House Stud owned, Pat Doyle trained and Derek O'Connor ridden Band Of Blood had work to do after losing his place four out.

Band Of Blood did make ground to chase Classical Twist approaching the final fence but the 'bird had flown' at that stage and two lengths separated them at the line with John Nallen's Minella Fiveo a length further back in third.

Coffey and Murphy of course enjoyed success together with the likes of Kilfeacle winner Celtic Twilight last term and Classical Twist, bred by Larry Byrne, is the fourth foal of an unraced dam who is a half sister to Pharrihy, winner of a hurdle.

O'Connor sustained life-threatening injuries when getting a fall from Walkin Aisy at Thurles in March 2009 and the Wexford amateur hit the turf in race two at Belharbour courtesy of Kettle Street in the confined maiden.

However he was back on top in the third race on the programme, the Gort Mart Ltd. Maiden Race for 5-y-o geldings. Here O'Connor rode a very impressive winner in what looked a decent heat as he guided Jim Culloty's Legal Exit home in this eight runner affair.

They mightn't have gone much of a gallop but as Culloty told the Irish Field in a stable tour back on November 5th: "Legal Exit is a very nice horse and he will start off in a point-to-point before Christmas. He will possibly run in one bumper in the spring, but I'd expect him to be jumping hurdles this time next year. I think he is a very nice horse and he is owned by my sister-in-law. He could start off at Dromahane in a couple of weeks time."

Well Culloty is a man of his word as Legal Exit did start off at Dromahane on November 13th when brought down, but on this occasion he galloped away from his seven rivals up the straight in the style of a very exciting prospect. A half-brother to winners, including Keelaghan, Legal Exit crossed the line ten lengths to the good from Witness In Court.

Culloty tweeted today (Monday): "Legal Exit stormed home to win the 5yo Maiden @ Belharbour yesterday. He's a horse I am very sweet on - inside the rails next."

MOLLOY'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH BELHARBOUR CONTINUES

The Brennan brothers of At Your Service weren't present (Mark Molloy featured on that RTE TV programme a week ago) but the Thurles handler needs guidance from nobody on how to saddle winners at Belharbour and his Near Perfection sluiced home by ten lengths to land a gamble in the Kerry Co-Op Corofin and Sixmilebridge Co-Op Mart Ltd. Winners of One under J T McNamara.

Backed from 4/1 into 6/4 and shorter, Near Perfection (a third winner for the sire Oscar on the day following on from Classical Twist and Hinesight) led with a circuit to go and he was going to win from some way out on his way to thrashing The Mull.

Molloy, who has saddled Long Long Time, Ely Brown and Venusinfurs to win at this picturesque venue in recent years, said: "He's a lovely horse and his dam, Instant Queen didn't win until she was seven and she then won four points and three on the track.

"He is very smart and my horses weren't right the last time he ran (3rd at Boulta at the end of November) and I shouldn't have run him.

"He recently won a schooling hurdle at Thurles very impressively and he could go to the track now or maybe for a hunter chase. You could say we were optimistic, very confident really coming here."

O'CONNOR RIDES AN IMPRESSIVE WINNER IN ZEKARYA

There was more County Tipperary success in division two of the Monks Bar & Restaurant, Ballyvaughan Maiden Race for 6-y-o & upwards geldings as the big two in the market dominated, Derek O'Connor's mount Zekarya, for Pat Doyle, impressively beating John Nallen's Minella For Value (some excellent racecourse form) by four lengths.

The victorious grey son of April Night is a French-bred that only once previously ran, that effort coming when 'down the field' behind the subsequent track winner Jimbill at the corresponding fixture on February 12th 2011.

He was in the care of Martin Cullinane at that stage but he is now owned by John Sherlock and Doyle's charge has to have a decent future given the ease with which he travelled through this event and he hardly broke sweat in disposing of Minella For Value (well-backed here & he'd signed off on the track with a runner-up effort behind Cairdin in late October last).

KATIE MAKES HER VISIT TO COUNTY CLARE WORTHWHILE

The other split of the Monks Bar & Restaurant, Ballyvaughan Maiden Race for 6-y-o & upwards geldings saw a nice performance from the Katie Walsh-ridden Hinesight for her father Ted.

This fellow, in the ownership of Dermot Desmond, is undoubtedly a progressive type and the attractive big son of Oscar got the better of the sweet-jumping front-runner Soupcon D'Albain (bidding to give Matt O'Connor a treble and Jim Culloty a double - the trainer tweeted on Monday - Soupcon D'Albain finished 2nd yest @ Belharbour. He put in an exhibition of jumping & will run again in a P2P soon) from before the final fence, at the finish slamming him by eight lengths.

Hinesight had previously fallen at the last in Ballinaboola in November, when still in with every chance, with Peter Flood up on that occasion.

HEARTBREAK IN THE CONFINED

There was heartbreak for supporters and connections of the Noel Glynn-owned and Jason Titley-trained Dontcallusweelcalu in the Clare Marts Ltd and the Pier Head Bar & Restaurant Maiden Race for 5-y-o & upwards Confined as he got the last 'all-wrong' under Mark O'Hare, coming down when he had the race 'well in the bag.'

That Revoque gelding hadn't run since contesting a bumper at Punchestown in April 2008, all of 1384 days ago.

This presented the race to outsider Imjoeking under James Ivors for owner/trainer Paul Walsh. In fairness this son of Amilynx had been running a good race on his debut and the five-year-old comes from the family of prolific winners Super Franky and Marked Man.

COLLEEN JUMPS LIKE A BUCK UNDER POWER FOR THE LEES

Another well-related type, The Three Colleens is a full-sister to Just For Joe and the daughter of Presenting put her track experience to good use by putting in an exhibition of jumping to land the opening division of the Gain Horse Feeds & B. Gillane & Co Ltd. Maiden Race for 5-y-o & upwards mares.

Kevin Power rode the very easy to back The Three Colleens for local Gort owner/breeder Joe Lee and his trainer wife Hannah.

Joe Lee said of his winner, who led six out on the way to dismissing Cappawhite Lass by a distance (only three finished): "We knew she had a chance as we'd schooled her ourselves and we knew she was a great jumper. Anyone that ever rode her on the track told us to try her in a point-to-point. We train at Coole, beside the park (the world famous former residence of Lady Gregory and W.B. Yeats)."

FAVOURITE BACKERS GO HOME HAPPY

Division two of this race, the finale, saw favourite backers go home happy as 'Corky' Carroll's mount Vickys Lass overcame a little scare with a stumble on landing at the last by beating Maeves Delight by ten lengths.

This was a well-deserved success for Vickys Lass, beaten a small margin at Dungarvan last time, and she is trained at Sixmilebridge by former amateur rider, Niall Kelleher.