IT was an evening to savour for several different families and none more so than Paul Fahey and his son Aaron who combined to land the bumper with the 50/1 newcomer Eilise’s A Lady.

Just under three years since he recorded his last success with Oakly at the Galway Festival, Paul Fahey produced this daughter of Shantou in tremendous order to make a perfect start to her career and she could turn out to be quite useful.

For his part, Aaron Fahey was making his 15th appearance in the saddle and he timed his challenge to perfection on the relation to the top-class chaser Our Vic.

Eilise’s A Lady pounced in the closing stages to defeat Western Run by three parts of a length in the colours of the Martins To Booleigh Syndicate.

Nice pedigree

“She has a very nice pedigree and we’ve always liked her a lot. We’ve had a lot of luck here down through the years and Aaron had his first few rides at this track so he got a feel of the track. It’s great for Aaron, he works hard and it’s a very proud moment when your son rides a winner for you,” said a delighted Fahey.

Another father and son team to strike were Niall Madden senior and junior whose Dawson’s Cottage justified 2/1 favouritism in the second division of the 80-102 rated two-mile handicap hurdle.

This J.P. McManus-owned six-year-old hadn’t run since November but he had shown up well on his last two starts and that was enough to see him returned the 2/1 favourite. He readily got on top after the last flight to account for Iamastartoo by one and three-quarter lengths. The winner certainly had something to spare at the finish and could easily win again in the coming weeks.

Earlier, trainer-owner John Burke sent out the longstanding maiden Musical Ava, ridden by his brother Martin, to take the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over just short of two and a half miles.

The daughter of Court Cave had been placed quite a few times during her 27 runs prior to this so she certainly wasn’t winning out of turn especially as she nailed on the line at Tramore just before Christmas.

On this occasion she cleared the last with a useful lead which she maintained to defeat Friars Gold by three and a half lengths.

ROCK Road made a bright start to his career with Willie Mullins as he landed what looked like quite a useful two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase.

Formerly with Michael Bowe and without a run since September, the gelding briefly appeared to be struggling at one point on the final circuit, but as the race wore on it became apparent that Brian Hayes’ decision to get down to 9st 12lbs to take this ride would be rewarded.

Rock Road challenged the bold-jumping Thecraicisninety at the last and went on to score by two and a half lengths.

“Michael Bowe was looking to move him on and recommended him to Brian and said there might be a few races in him,” reported Patrick Mullins. “

Simon Wilson (Bowes Lodge Stables Partnership) who owns the horses has had a lot of luck with us and hopefully there’s more to come from this horse. He might now go to Galway for a handicap hurdle.”

The finish of the 0-102 rated handicap chase over the same course and distance was a much more dramatic affair as Thisonesforollie seemed sure to collect when clearing the last in good style and maintaining a useful lead for much of the run-in.

However, she was collared in the dying strides by the Conor McNamara-ridden Maureen’s Star (13/2) whose last success came at Perth two years ago.

“I’m very pleased for the owner (Daniel Savage) and she’s not in that long so she should improve for this,” said Liam Lennon, who might send the mare to Downpatrick for a handicap hurdle in around 10 days time.

IT was an industrious evening for Gavin Cromwell and stable jockey Jonathan Moore who enjoyed a double which began when April’s Joy justified 11/10 favouritism in the maiden hurdle for mares who had never previously been placed.

The daughter of Ask had shown enough last season to suggest a race like this was within her reach and, after moving to the front well before the last, she defeated Champagne Diva by a length and three parts.

“She was entitled to do that off her rating (109) and she is handicapped on the flat so she could go down that route too,” remarked Cromwell who trains the mare for the Mick & Molly Syndicate.

Cromwell and Moore went on to land the first divide of the 80-102 rated handicap hurdle where Moonball made a victorious return from a year and a half off the track.

The JRM Racing Syndicate-owned six-year-old had this race under control from some way out and she crossed the line four and a half lengths ahead of Cornerkova.

“She’s had leg trouble and has been off a long time but she’s quite hard on herself at home so she doesn’t take much getting fit. They went a strong pace which suited her very well,” declared the trainer.

The evening’s other winner was supplied by Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore as Somptueux returned to the form that saw him run quite respectably in a couple of very smart contests last winter by taking the maiden hurdle for unplaced colts and geldings. A rating of 118 meant that this Peter Davies-owned gelding set a strong standard for a race of this nature and he edged out the 116-rated Enjoy D’allen by a neck.