IT was great to see Bangor’s Clare Cannon saddle a winner at Leopardstown last Thursday evening. The Oisin Orr-partnered Innamorare got up to beat the 9/4 favourite Raphael by one and a quarter lengths in the mile handicap for three-year-olds.

The Intense Focus filly runs in the colours of the trainer’s father Geoff on whose behalf Clare purchased the now dual winner for just €2,000 at the 2016 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. Innamorare’s unraced dam Duchess Dee (by Bachelor Duke) is a half-sister to the listed-winner and Grade 2 placed mare Cayman Sunset (by Night Shift) and to the Grade 2 hurdle winner I’m Supposin (by Posen) who was third to Istabraq in the 1998 Champion Hurdle.

At the all-flat Magners meeting at Down Royal on Friday evening, Newry trainer Liam Lennon sent out the Daniel Redmond-partnered Haqeeba to land the five-furlong handicap in the colours of local business man Maurice McCavitt. The five-year-old Haatef-mare obviously likes summer racing conditions as she won a five-furlong handicap at the end of August last year in Bellewstown and landed a six-furlong maiden at Naas on August 1st, 2016.

It’s been quiet on the breeding front in the past week but the Jeremy Maxwell-bred Tikkinthebox resumed winning ways when landing the extended two-mile handicap chase at Newton Abbot on Monday. Trained by Jeremy Scott, the six-year-old Tikkanen gelding had won his first race on his 13th attempt at Taunton in April and doubled up the following month at Wincanton. A hat-trick bid came undone at Newton Abbot in June but the bay made all to score by a comfortable five lengths on Monday. Tikkinthebox is out of the Art Francais mare Surfing France, dam also of the Scott-trained Ifyouletmefinish.

Philip McBurney had his colours carried to success again by the Gordon Elliott-trained Braid Blue when the five-year-old Gold Well gelding, who was bred by Danny Doran, followed up his debut success in a Kilbeggan bumper with one in similar company at Perth on Wednesday. Earlier on this golf-associated card, the McNeill family’s aptly-named Portrush Ted also justified long odds-on favouritism when landing the novices’ three-mile hurdle.