LAST Friday’s Gold Cup winner’s owner, J.P. McManus and jockey, Mark Walsh combined to win Cork’s opening race on Thursday, where the pair teamed up with trainer Joseph O’Brien to win the Welcome To Student Raceday Maiden Hurdle with Carried With Love (7/2).

Racing behind the leaders, Carried With Love travelled well to lead from the second-last and scored readily from Blake.

The trio of men had landed Tuesday’s Fred Winter Hurdle at Cheltenham with Puturhandstogether and, following Thursday’s success, jockey O’Brien reported “it was my first time riding her, but she had run well in that good race won by Puturhandstogether in December.

“She had the form, had the experience and I’m delighted with her. She can [go]on from this and can go back on the flat as well, so is a lovely filly to have.”

Festival winners

Last week’s Champion Chase winning jockey, Sean Flanagan, was on the mark in the dramatic Albert Bartlett Series Qualifier Handicap Hurdle with Luminous Light (7/1), which registered consecutive wins for trainer, Anthony McCann and the Good Counsellors Syndicate.

There were five casualties in the race, with Jacovec Cavern being the most dramatic, as he held a clear lead when falling at the final flight. His rider Niall Prendergast was subsequently transferred to Cork University Hospital for further assessment and was conscious and talking to medical personnel on leaving the course.

Following Luminous Light’s fortunate success, trainer McCann commented, “he encountered carnage everywhere around, with horses falling in front of him, but maybe it kept him that wee bit more interested.

“What can you say about Sean, who is now a Champion Chase-winning jockey and a big thanks to the lads at home, as he isn’t the easiest horse to work with. That’s him qualified for the Final at Punchestown, so we’ll put him away for that now and give the boys a day out.”

Shark off the mark

Trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon registered a second success since regaining his license following suspension and landed the Social Packs Easter Festival Handicap Hurdle with Hitak (9/1), under Danny Mullins. Afterwards, Hanlon said: “There are four owners involved, including Rachel’s (O’Neill, partner) sister Charmaine and this is their first horse, so I’m delighted.

“He was bought out of Ellmarie Holden’s and had won three point-to-points. He is a big horse, who will make into a lovely chaser.

“All the horse does is stay and Danny was very good on him, but I feel sorry for Paddy (Hanlon, jockey son), who broke his thumb two days ago in Down Royal. He led up the horse today and had been doing a lot of work with him and got him jumping.”

THERE was a poignant success in the Gentlemen’s League (QR) Handicap Hurdle as Alan O’Sullivan, brother of Michael, scored a wide-margin success for trainer Pat Foley, on Cullig (12/1).

A half-sister to Coral Cup winner Commander Of Fleet, Cullig showed big improvement when stretching clear of her rivals from the second last to defeat runner-up Not May by 20 lengths.

Foley said: “That was extra-special, as it’s my first winner since Michael’s passing, and also Alan’s first on the track since. It took a lot of getting the hang of her, and Michael played a huge part in doing that, in getting her to the stage at which she could go out and show what she was capable.

“It’s extra special that Alan was the one to ride her today. It’s great to get that on the page for the breeding, being a half-sister to Command Of Fleet, a Grade 1 winner, and her owners are breeders.

“The owners (Coghlan, Oakes and Culliford) are all from Cork (Buttevant) as well, so it’s a complete local success. Eugene and Maxine are here as well, and I’m delighted for them all.”

First success

Jockey Laura Costello registered a first success in the concluding bumper, as the John J Hennessy and Eric Kenneally-owned mare I’ll Raise A Glass caused a 40/1 upset to win for trainer Martin Fitzgerald.

The daughter of Califet had finished well-held in two previous runs and improved from mid-field to lead over a furlong out, eventually scoring by three and three-quarter lengths from Jo’s Secret.

A delighted Costello commented: “I’ve had five point-to-point winners, but that’s my first track winner and I had a look over my shoulder to check I’d won!

“The lads filled me with confidence today and I had watched the replays of her previous runs on softer ground, when she didn’t look to love it.

“They thought she might like today’s nicer ground and it might have made the difference.

“I’m from Clare, my dad is Dermot Costello (former point-to-point champion jockey) and this win has been a long time coming.

“I’m working with Andy and Willie Slattery, Aidan Fitzgerald and Pat Kelly in Galway, and at home.”

Kelly hopeful for Ciao

FATHER and son, owner and jockey, Michael and Eoin Kelly, combined to win the Racing Home For Easter Festival Handicap Hurdle with Ciao Adios (9/1), for trainer Adrian Murray. A dual flat winner, the mare was scoring a maiden jumps success, with jockey Eoin Kelly reporting: “I tried to settle her, get her into a nice rhythm and it worked out lovely.

“That’s her first win over hurdles, so hopefully there’ll be a few more in her. She loves that ground and I wouldn’t be afraid to go two and a half miles.”

Philip Fenton and Brian Hayes combined to win the Voodoo Rooms Maiden Hurdle with Saint Le Fort (3/1), for owner Damian Tiernan.

Previously listed-placed in a bumper, Saint Le Fort scored by one and a quarter lengths from Bright Legend, with Fenton reporting: “At Clonmel the last day, for some reason, he didn’t handle the heavy ground and, while he ran well in Limerick (previously) on heavy, but it was maybe looser.

“In Clonmel, we were disappointed because he was well beaten. The ground made a big difference to him and he jumped much better.

“From day one, he was a good jumper, but the last day he left it behind him a bit as he was sloppy at some of the jumps. He’s a light-framed horse, so we can’t overdo it, so his next run could be a month away, but it looks as if he’s going to be okay.”