THERE was a dramatic conclusion to the always popular open over the banks course, with the disqualification of the first past the post following a stewards’ enquiry.

Better B Quick had been patiently ridden by Sean Staples and was some five lengths clear of course specialist Vital Island when the 14-year-old took the wrong course before the final fence.

The amended result saw the Taghmon-based handler Richard O’Keeffe’s eight-year-old claim his third success at the venue by defeating Singing Banjo by six lengths under local rider Tiernan Power. “He really loves these banks, this is his job. We might run him here again in March, though I would love to bring him to Cheltenham.

“We had him there for the cross country handicap there last year and he didn’t get in, so I’d like to try run him at the Festival in March,” said O’Keeffe of the horse who carries his own colours.

A big field of 16 runners faced the starter for the second four-year-old auction maiden of the season, a race which in which The King Of Ryhope, who took up the running early in the straight, came out on top.

The Eric Elliott-owned debutant survived a final fence error to see off the staying-on Supreme Yeats by a length and a half in the hands of Declan Lavery. The son of Malinas, who is the second foal out of the three-time winner Eleven Fifty Nine, was providing handler Cian Hughes with his first success of the season.

Lavery, who was partnering his third winner of the weekend, noted that the €21,000 Tattersalls Ireland August Sale purchase was a little green when he hit the front but he expects the gelding, who will now probably be sold, has a big future ahead of him.

THERE was a first success of the season for handler David Nagle in the older maiden with the victory of his own Cut Pretender.

The lightly raced eight-year-old son of Great Pretender, who was having just his sixth career start here, was never too far off the pace under Rob James and went five lengths clear of his rivals before the last.

However, the staying-on Boro Melody was rapidly reducing that advantage on the long run-in and by the line his lead had been reduced down to just a length and a half. The Tipperary-based Nagle stated: “He did that well, we had fancied him going to Lisronagh a fortnight ago and he fell there. He is a good horse, he’s had a lot of time off and is more of a fun horse these days, so we’ll probably aim him towards a winners’ race next.”

Consistent

Carrick-on-Suir-based Gerard Quirk landed the spoils in the five-year-old mares’ maiden as he sent out his home-bred, the consistent daughter of Mahler Nancy Wyse to follow up two consecutive placed efforts to get her head in front.

Shane O’Rourke’s mount jumped noticeably well apart from one mistake, as the bay mare hit the front after jumping the penultimate obstacle.

The better jump at the last when sitting upsides the JP McManus-owned Norwigi, who made a mistake, sealed the victory by a margin of two lengths at the line.

The winning local rider was impressed by his mounts jumping performance and battling attitude, which should certainly stand her in good stead in winners’ company.

The five-year-old geldings’ maiden was yet another hotly contested affair which went the way of the patiently ridden Bardenstown Lad. It was Westmeath-based handler Adrian Murray’s first runner of the new campaign and it proved to be a winning one.

Simon Cavanagh hit the front aboard the son of Black Sam Bellamy after jumping the third last and the chesnut gelding kept on best on the long run-in to see off the locally trained Family Pot by a length.

The winning handler, who has 20 horses in training, stated: “We always thought a lot of this lad. He has improved a lot since his run at Tattersalls last year, which we were expecting because he was just a bit backward as a four-year-old. We’ll try and sell him now.”

Murphy and Codd combine for double

THERE were doubles on the card for Denis Murphy and Jamie Codd as they combined to take both divisions of the four-year-old maiden.

The opening division saw the duo team up with owner Edelle Logan, as her Grangeclare West, a son of Presenting, made the perfect start to his career. The €62,000 Derby Sale purchase was never too far off the pace in this steadily run contest and led before the penultimate fence, going on to account for the Matthew Flynn O’Connor-trained Sporting Ace by four lengths at the line.

Murphy explained that he always thought highly of gelding and added that the relation to the 133-rated 12-time chase winner Gunner Welburn would now be offered for sale.

Murphy and Codd were quick to follow up in division two as Viva Lavilla gained a length victory over the Pat Doyle-trained Gateau De Miel in a driving finish. The duo were locked together jumping the final fence, but the Getaway gelding kept on best on the flat to claim a gutsy victory in the colours of his handler.

A delighted Murphy said: “He had worked well with the winner of the first division at home and we were expecting him to go well today. This lad ran greener than I had expected him to do throughout, though when he came under pressure he just pulled out that little bit extra. He will head to the sales now.”

Horse to Follow

Supreme Yeats (P.J. Flood): This debutant son of Yeats stayed on very strongly from the back inside the last half mile of the four-year-old auction maiden. He was closing on the winner right to the line and looks a promising sort.