THE Grade 1-winning juvenile hurdler A Wave Of The Sea secured his first success since that high-profile triumph at the Dublin Racing Festival as he made it second time lucky over fences in a two-and-a-half-mile beginners’ chase at Kilbeggan yesterday week.

Joseph O’Brien’s charge was sent off the 4/6 favourite under Mark Walsh and made good use of the chasing experience that he picked up at Killarney last month. The J.P. McManus- owned gelding was niggled along briefly with a circuit to run but made short work of these opponents when it mattered.

A Wave Of The Sea cruised to the front inside the final half mile and quickly asserted to pull 11 lengths clear of the field.

“He was the best horse in the race and all he had to do was jump around. The four-year-old allowance is a big help,” remarked the rider.

Jack Kennedy’s seamless return to the saddle continued aboard Metal Man in the Belvedere House, Gardens & Park Novice Hurdle. Another four-year-old, this son of Australia is a thorough stayer and relished every yard of this three miles and a furlong. Metal Man (4/1) had the measure of the favourite Flemings Dream before the last and then withstood the late charge of Friary Rock by a head.

“He stays very well and we’ll keep him to this sort of trip. He is still a novice until early December but I wouldn’t rule out him going chasing before then,” reported Elliott.

Ardaghs Choice became the latest in the now steady stream of 100/1 winners as he shocked his opponents in the 80-109 rated handicap hurdle over that same distance. This Eamonn Sheehy inmate was unruly in the parade ring beforehand but his application throughout the race couldn’t be faulted.

He jumped well and travelled nicely in a prominent position and Kevin Sexton sent him on before the last en route to a half-length victory over Mick Charlie. The Stephen Barron-owned winner did show some promise on his penultimate outing at Tramore last month and clearly revelled in his first try beyond two and a half miles.

SEAN Flanagan enjoyed a fine run of things last week with five winners which took in a double at this meeting. The rider completed his brace on Noel Meade’s Deployed who was different class to his opponents in a two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle.

This Gigginstown House Stud-owned son of Mahler showed promise in his three bumpers, notably when fourth to Abacadabras at Galway in October 2018, and showed a good aptitude for this new discipline. The 7/2 chance overcame a blunder at the last to record an easy seven-length victory.

“I like this horse and he’s probably just filled into himself. He’s had a good blow after that so I’d say we will aim for a novice hurdle in about a month’s time,” stated Meade.

Earlier Flanagan teamed up with Liz Doyle to take the mares’ maiden hurdle with Miss Cedille. This daughter of Martaline had been placed in seven of her first nine runs so she wasn’t winning out of turn and she had little difficulty defying an absence stretching back to January.

The 9/4 favourite saw off Family Business by three and a half lengths.

“She had a tumour the size of a grapefruit removed from her scull about a year ago so it’s a super day. We didn’t think she was going to survive that,” revealed the trainer.

CHELTENHAM Festival-winning amateur rider Rob James notched up his first success of the season as the useful Victoria Bay (5/1) bagged the Kilmurray’s Homevalue Hardware Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.

In an eventful affair which saw Boro Tari exit two out when travelling well, Victoria Bay turned in a straightforward and willing effort. With the last fence bypassed due to low-lying sun, the Colin Bowe-trained mare struck for home after what is normally the penultimate obstacle and she kept on doggedly to see off the favourite High Sparrow by two lengths.

This was a first win in 15 months for the Rich and Nora Furlong Partnership-owned mare. There was quite a gamble landed in the first division of the Bloomfield House Hotel Handicap Hurdle where the 87-rated Nodoubtaboutthat rewarded those that backed him from as big as 16/1 earlier in the day into 7/2.

A first winner of the season for both Shane Crawley and jockey Eoin O’Connell, this five-year-old hadn’t shown much in her first four outings but it was all change this time. The daughter of Oscar led well before the last and finished five lengths clear of Orchard Grove.

“She did quite well out on grass in April and May and probably needed her run the last day (finished 11th at Tramore in late July). She’s quite small so we can’t go to the well too often,” stated Crawley, who trains the winner for the Who What Why Syndicate.

After sending out Orchard Grove to take second in the first divide of the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle, Shark Hanlon also had to settle for the runner-up spot in the other division as Zinat (2/1) defeated Ashton Court for the second week in a row.

The Roger McGrath-trained winner was only 3lbs worse off with Ashton Court for a one-and-three-quarter-length victory at Clonmel eight days previously and this time she had three parts of a length to spare.

Liam Quinlan, who was making it four winners from his last six rides, produced Zinat with a well timed effort after the last. The winning jockey was hit with a three-day whip ban though.