AT the start of another tight week at the head of the jockey’s standings, the reigning champion Donnacha O’Brien joined forces with his brother Joseph for a double to aid his push for title honours. The pair’s first success came courtesy of Chrysalism in the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Claiming Race where the daughter of Starspangledbanner added this race to the Curragh nursery she won last month. The Anne Marie O’Brien-owned and bred juvenile was sent off a well-backed 2/1 chance and came with a strong charge over the last quarter of a mile to pick off the favourite Vormir around 100 yards from the line.

Myth Creation (8/1) completed the O’Brien double in the Dandy Man Maiden over seven furlongs. The four-year-old, who had finished no worse than fourth in four previous Irish outings following a spell in America, took charge inside the distance to defeat Time Tunnel by three and a half lengths. The More Than Ready relation to Ibn Bey is owned and bred by Sun Bloodstock.

Ken Condon and Niall McCullagh picked up their second Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden in three days courtesy of Schroders Mistake (11/2). This Thomas Rogers-owned filly, who was thought good enough to contest the Silver Flash Stakes on her second start, was never out of the first two in this six-furlong heat. Throughout the race, the winner traded blows with Flaming Moon – backed from 66/1 into 14/1 to make a winning debut – and she asserted inside the distance to prevail by a length and a quarter. The final of the Foran series or the Birdcatcher could be next for Condon’s charge.

Better and better

It has been a memorable few weeks for apprentice Paddy Harnett who rode the first winner of his career late last month. The Abbeyfeale-born rider then lost his right to claim 10lbs last Friday and made it four career winners as he took the apprentice handicap aboard Tony Martin’s Bigger And Better.

Paddy Harnett rode the fourth winner of his career aboard Bigger And Better \ Healy Racing

The Lyreen Syndicate-owned gelding was the 4/1 favourite off a second to Franklyn, an effort which saw Robbie Colgan hit with a five-day ban after a running and riding enquiry, and he had this seven-furlong event in safe keeping from early in the straight. Bigger And Better finished two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Lord Rapscallion.

The card concluded with a taking display from the Dermot Weld-trained and Chris Hayes-ridden Kiss For A Jewel (4/1) in the mile and a quarter handicap. After getting off the mark at Tipperary last month this 83-rated daughter of Kingman turned in an improved effort in coming from the rear to defeat the front running Metier. The November Handicap at Naas is a likely target for this filly.