FAMILIAR Dreams added a jumping success to an already impressive CV, when scoring at Punchestown on Monday. The Postponed mare had cost Qatar Racing €310,000 after landing her fourth bumper success in Grade 3 company at the festival meeting at the venue last May.

Having finished third behind Maughreen on her hurdling bow here last month, she went to post 6/4 favourite to open her account. Sam Ewing made virtually all on the six-year-old and she jumped well before holding the late challenge of Toad Hall by three-parts of a length.

Familiar Dreams holds an entry in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, but Elliott said afterwards: “She’s in Cheltenham, but I’d imagine we’ll pick and choose where we go with her. I’ll have a chat with the boys and see.

“Sam said she wasn’t doing a stroke the whole way. She jumped a lot better today, so we’re happy. We’ll have a bit of fun with her and mix it between the flat and jumps.”

Double trouble

Elliott went on to double up in the concluding bumper with the Robcour-owned debutant Santo Sospir. Harry Swan got a good tune from the 4/1 shot to get up close home for a neck success over The Wager.

“He’ll be a grand horse to come back for the Goffs Defender Bumper. We said we’d give him a run to give him an education and that’s where we’ll go now,” said Elliott. “He’s probably more of a hurdle horse, he’s not a big massive horse.”

Joshua’s Daylami was well-supported in the BetVictor Mares Maiden Hurdle and the Paul Fahey-trained mare ran out a convincing winner.

The 11/4 shot (14/1 in morning) travelled well to lead before the last and knuckled down well for Cian Cullinan to post a three-length win over the front-running Affinity Rock

Fahey said: “A step up in trip and a jump, she’ll be a nice mare going forward for staying races. There is the Shannon Spray at Limerick (March 13th) and she might go there. If not, we’ll see how the handicapper treats her.”

WILLIE Mullins was quick out of the blocks, winning both divisions of the opening BetVictor Graduation Maiden Hurdle, courtesy of Adela Icon and Runcok. Brian Hayes took the mount on Adela Icon in the opener as the Snow Sky mare made her jumping debut.

The 9/2 shot was to the fore throughout, along with 5/4 favourite Whimsy, and stayed on best on the run-in to secure a hard fought half-length win.

Adela Icon had been well-beaten on her first outing for Mullins at Cork last month and Aubrey McMahon of Temple Bloodstock said: “We liked her at home and fancied her at Cork, but she was just too keen, so we said we’d put a hood on her today and go jumping.

“That’s more like what she was showing at home. She’s going to be a lot better on drier ground. She’ll hopefully win plenty of races this summer for us.”

Runcok was another to make a winning start over hurdles, when taking the second division for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Paul Townend was aboard the 6/4 favourite and he made all on the Cokoriko gelding, staying on well in the closing stages to beat Grey Pharoh by a length and a half.

Townend said: “He shows us plenty at home, but I suppose he had been disappointing on the track. Maybe getting his head in front in a hurdle will help him now, he’s a brilliant jumper. It was a good opportunity for him today.”

Tall order

Stamina was the order of the day in the three-mile handicap hurdle and Rokathir was also a cosy winner in testing conditions.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding hit the front before the last for Darragh O’Keeffe and was pushed out to record a cosy four-and-three-quarter-length win.

Roger Brookhouse’s charge had fallen over fences at the venue last month and O’Keeffe said: “He did everything right today, he travelled great and jumped brilliant.

“He fell the last day here, but I actually felt I still had half a chance. The winner went on to win the other day in Fairyhouse. He had a nice weight on his back and coped with the ground well.”

PHILIP Rothwell was another trainer to claim two divisions of the same race, when Without Exception and Johnny Cakes struck in both heats of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle.

Tiernan Power Roche was in the plate on both and produced Without Exception with a perfectly timed charge to claim Blue Reed on the run-in and record a length and a half success.

Rothwell said of the 4/1 winner: “We went up to Down Royal last time thinking we were going to get a dig in the ground, but it was like summer good ground on the chase course and he just didn’t act on it.

“The plan was to try and find a handicap chase, but there wasn’t one, so we said we’d come back for a handicap hurdle. He loves soft ground. John (Leckey) is a super owner, he’s a great supporter and is with me for years. He never interferes, just let’s me tip away at it.”

Free claim

10/3 shot Johnny Cakes was an impressive winner of the second division, travelling strongly turning for home and going on to post an easy four-and-a-quarter-length win over One And Only.

The winner is owned by Frederick Pardy, Thomas O’Hara, Peter Dawes and Crispin Wall and Rothwell said: “He has a great bunch of owners. It’s a partnership that I put together between a few guys I know and met. It’s their first winner as a partnership.

“I thought he’d run well in Clonmel last time, but I’d say he got away with murder at home over Christmas. He races a bit lazy and we figured that out in Clonmel the last day and changed his training regime a little bit. I think it’s made a big difference.

“Tiernan is a free 5lb and it’s great to have him on side. The team of staff that I have at home at the moment are second to none, I have the most amazing bunch of people around me and I’m very fortunate.”