DONNCHADH Doyle proved the proverb patience is a virtue as he reaped the rewards of a relatively quiet spell by his standards with a Ballyragget hat-trick that began with Mossy Fen Road (6/4 - 4/6 favourite) in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Two previous Monbeg Syndicate-owned four-year-old maiden winners have already carried the Mossy Fen name to success in the past. Loughbrickland winner Mossy Fen progressed into a Grade 2 winner under rules, while last year Mossy Fen Park, an 18-length Nenagh victor, opened his account in a Down Royal maiden hurdle.

Connections will have high hopes that the Flemensfirth-sired Mossy Fen Road can add to their exploits after the €75,000 Goffs Arkle sale purchase proved to be four lengths too good for fellow newcomer Mashalla Habibi.

Rob James’ mount had his task simplified when Derek O’Connor’s Journey So Far came unstuck at the tricky third last fence, but Doyle was not surprised by the manner of his comfortable victory.

“He is a lovely horse, he showed us everything at home,” he said. “He did a bit of work last week that was awesome. He has a good pedigree and cost plenty, so hopefully, he is a high-class one.”

Game individual

The long-standing James and Doyle combination brought their tally of wins together to 130 when Small Town Kid (2/1 - 4/1) proved himself to be a game individual in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Third at Kirkistown a month earlier when reported by connections to have found the Down course too tight, the bay became the third subsequent maiden winner to emerge from that race when he outstayed the Moig South runner-up Rock On Jet by a length and a half.

Out of a half-sister to the Doyle’s former Welsh National winner Monbeg Dude, the Patrick Crotty-bred gelding is now likely to return to Kilkenny next month, with connections reporting that he will be offered at the Goresbridge sale.

Successful week

Milo Miller (evens favourite) capped off a particularly successful week for the Monbeg handler, which had seen his former charges, Fact To File and Stellar Story, enjoy Cheltenham Festival success, when he struck in the adjacent maiden.

The British-bred son of Black Sam Bellamy had appeared to have victory sewn up after the penultimate fence at Castlelands a week earlier, only to tie up in the closing stages.

Under slightly more conservative tactics, he gained swift compensation, returning 20 lengths clear of Hold Your Ground, having been left clear by the departure of his nearest pursuer The Last Minute two out.

BRIAN Jordan previously sent out the subsequent Grade 2 winner Roadie Joe to win a Lingstown maiden, and he looks to have another nice prospect on his hands after Scar Bridge (4/1) carried his silks to success in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

A second winner between the flags for the Sunnyhill Stud resident Lucky Speed, the bay struck the front after the fourth last fence, from where her supporters never had a moment of concern as she inflicted an eight-length defeat on the twice previously placed Its Lady Kingston.

Winning handler Tom Byrne was not present to witness his second winner of the season as he was a member of the Wexford football panel that defeated Tipperary in their Allianz League Division Four clash at Fethard Town Park.

“I bought her as a foal; she was in the sales but wasn’t sold, so I bought her privately afterwards,” Jordan said.

“We liked her, but we just thought that the ground would be against her, so we said we would run her and educate her if nothing else. She has a good fillies’ pedigree, and we will try to sell her now.”

Hendrick double

Scar Bridge’s rider Jack Hendrick claimed both mares’ maiden races on the card as he also returned to the coveted number one slot in the winner’s enclosure in the four-year-old equivalent aboard Hay Meadow.

Fifth on debut at Lisronagh when losing all chance after being hampered three out, the Billy Codd-owned and trained mare had lost her prominent position leaving the back straight, and despite sitting last turning for home, she came home strongly to deny Queenofthejukebox by a neck in the dying strides.

“She has improved a good bit since her debut,” Codd said. “We thought that the ground would be too heavy for her but she handled it well and stayed on at the line.

“We are delighted, she is a homebred, so it is great.”

DON’T Matter Now joined Ramillies and De Nordener as the third horse to move onto the four-winner mark this season, as he got the better of the latter named for his first victory in open company.

The joint-favourites proved themselves to be in a league of their own when they strode on side-by-side along the back straight, and it was simply a case of waiting to see whether it would be Toni Quail on the prolific De Nordener, or Don’t Matter Now’s rider Cathal Sheehan that would play their cards first.

The latter was much the quicker over the third-last fence, which saw him seize the initiative, and it proved to be a lead that the Hoping For The Best Syndicate-owned nine-year-old never relented as he crossed the line two and a half lengths clear of his chief rival.

“I thought we would be second to De Nordener, but that was grand,” Declan Queally, son of the winning handler and namesake, said. “He was nice and fresh today and Cathal gave him a great ride. He has a tendancy to jump left, so we will look for a hunter chase at Killarney or Listowel, but he will run in another open in three weeks.”

Horse to Follow

Queenofthejukebox (G.L. Murphy): The Jukebox Jury mare had all four of her rivals on the backfoot when making her move from home at the third-last fence. Although caught in the dying strides, she should swiftly gain compensation.