WHILE the majority of his winners were at Down Royal, Gordon Elliott started and finished his 1,572/1 St Patrick’s Day six-timer at Bettyville. After a frustrating Cheltenham, the Cullentra handler landed the opening Wexford Mares’ Maiden Hurdle with Speculatrix.

Looking set to score when a final flight faller at Navan earlier this month, the No Risk At All bay proved friendless with punters, drifting from 11/10 to 11/4.

Settled in second by Jordan Gainford, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned six-year-old gained an outright advantage approaching the straight, with a flawless jump at the last sealing a length and three-quarters success.

“She was unlucky a couple of days, where she had races won and ended up on the ground, but she jumped well today and it’s grand to get a win with her,” Ian ‘Busty’ Amond, Elliott’s assistant, said.

Theflyingking rounded off a memorable afternoon for Elliott in the concluding wexfordraces.ie (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race. The winner of a point-to-point on debut, when in the care of Donnchadh Doyle, the Jukebox Jury grey was a runner-up in two track starts since.

Amazing day

Well-fancied to take this 11-runner affair, the 6/5 favourite (from 2s early) tracked the leaders on the inner under Harry Swan. Despite being pushed along with half a mile to race, he kept finding for pressure and led on the swing into the straight.

Ridden over a furlong out and soon strongly pressed by Thedeviluno, the KTDA Racing-owned victor kept on best in the closing stages to prevail by half a length.

“He’s still learning and a bit green. It probably suited him better going this way around and he’ll be a grand horse when he goes jumping,” Amond reported.

“We’ve had six winners today and, if we had that every day, we would be alright.”

INITIATING a 206/1 brace for Pat Flynn, Duke Otto sprang a surprise in taking the feature Michael O’Murchadha Handicap Hurdle by a short head.

One of two representatives for the Co. Waterford handler, the successful Duke Of Saxony Syndicate-owned seven-year-old was given a patient ride by Gary Noonan.

In rear with a circuit to go and appearing to be struggling when pushed along in eighth after three out, the 22/1 chance soon made good progress on the outer.

Making further headway to challenge before the last, he soon went second and kept on determinedly to collar Addragoole on the line.

“We forgot his colours when rushing this morning, but he won and that’s the main thing,” Flynn remarked.

“I said I’d run him, even though he was 7lb out of the handicap. He’ll get the 7lb now and whatever else for today. He is a tough little horse and I couldn’t believe he got up.”

Despite a significant market drift, Bite That completed Flynn’s brace in the Racing Again Friday 4th April Handicap Chase.

Owned by his wife Catherine and Gavin O’Mahoney and as short as 15/8 in early shows for this two-mile, three-furlong contest, the Milan nine-year-old eventually went off at 8s under Alex Harvey.

Second on his last four starts, the 95-rated bay, who is related to Grade 1 winners Might Bite and Beat That, made progress from mid-division approaching three out and came with his challenge before the next.

Despite a slight peck on landing there, he soon assumed command and readily drew clear on the run-in, easing to an eight-length win.

“I could get used to this. He had the form to win and hopefully he can win again. It was a good day at the office,” Flynn reflected.

FRESH from a memorable double at Cheltenham the previous Thursday, Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead struck with Majestic Force (10/11 favourite) in the Boylesports Supporting Irish Racing Beginners Chase.

A facile winner of a point-to-point on debut when in the care of Robert Tector, the Workforce seven-year-old was poised to challenge in second approaching the straight.

Sent to the front from two out and soon ridden a few lengths clear, the Duncan Angove-owned bay kept on well in the closing stages to beat Iceberg Theory by a length and a quarter.

“She was stepping up in trip today and it suited her, she galloped out to the line and she jumped well on the whole,” Blackmore commented.

“She’s a lovely mare and, hopefully, there is plenty of good days ahead of her now.”

While separately on the mark at Cheltenham, Paul Nolan and Sean O’Keeffe combined to take the Treo Eile Maiden Hurdle with Small Doses.

An eye-catching fourth at Punchestown last month and overpriced at 16/1 in early shows for this two-mile heat, the Westerner bay eventually went off at just 3s.

A half-brother to 2021 Cheltenham Festival winner Mrs Milner, the Anne Coffey and Susan Spence-owned five-year-old led approaching the straight and was ridden out on the run-in, comfortably holding off 15/8 favourite Half Past Tipsy by a length and a half.

“He had a few decent runs and, if he hadn’t been in the first three today we would have been very disappointed,” Nolan revealed. “He’s a well-bred fella and, hopefully, he’ll get better the older he gets.”

Favourite-backers again had to settle for minor honours in the Visit Wexford Novice Handicap Hurdle, with market leader Imadpour just failing to reel-in Mercury Mission (12/1).

With Aidan Kelly aboard for the first time, the Philip Rothwell-trained, IRE Asset Holding Limited-owned victor raced towards rear early, making progress with just over a circuit to go.

Improving to lead on the downhill run after the third last, he soon skipped a few lengths clear, but was all out on the run-in to hold off the aforementioned 5/1 favourite, with a neck between them at the line.

“Going by the stands with a circuit to go, he kind of just locked on to it. I didn’t want to be going there at all, but I had no choice, he just wanted to go faster,” Kelly disclosed. “He was a maiden coming into this, so it’s nice to get his head in front.”