AFTER a rather trying time of things last weekend, Shark Hanlon has been enjoying an upswing in fortunes over the last few days and he sent out his second winner of the week as Hewick produced a nice effort in the Camida Beginners’ Chase over just short of three miles.

A dual winner for the yard as a hurdler, Hewick looked the part on his chasing debut as he accounted for the useful Fred The Foot and the odds-on Not Available.

A second winner for jockey Shane Fenelon since he joined the professional ranks, Hewick steadily worked his way into contention before taking charge of this race in the straight.

The T.J. McDonald-owned gelding asserted from the second last to defeat Fred The Foot by half a dozen lengths with Not Available a further three and three quarter lengths back in third. After losing three horses last week this represented a welcome change in fortune for the trainer.

“He needs that fast ground. We’ll see what mark he gets and maybe go for a winners’ race but that is his trip and ground,” commented Hanlon.

“I think Shane has been very good on both horses he has won on for me this week and I think he has a bright future.”

Although he was out of luck with Not Available, Henry de Bromhead did hit back with Arvico Bleu (100/30) in the Orchard Thieves-sponsored beginners’ chase over two-miles.

Talented

On his day this Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding is a talented sort and he got into a good rhythm up front for Mike O’Connor after being allowed to dominate.

It was looking ominous for the leader with the evens favourite Druid’s Altar, who was in receipt of just under a stone as a four-year-old, loomed up in the closing stages but Arvico Bleu dug in well to carry the day by half a length.

“He’s shown so much over the years but obviously has been a bit disappointing. Hopefully this might rejuvenate him and I thought Mike was brilliant on him. He’s doing well and I’m delighted for him.

The trainer and jockey then made it a double as Ingleby Mackenzie won the two-miles handicap chase to record his first win in just under three years.

The David and Cliona Maughan-owned gelding was making just his second start for the trainer and was running for the first time since Christmas. In a race whose complexion changed a number of times in the straight Ingleby Mackenzie (7/1) came through to take over the lead from Silver Star after the last and he went on to defeat that rival by just under four lengths. This was the first double of O’Connor’s career.

PAUL Fahey and his son Aaron sprang a 22/1 surprise in the three-mile amateur riders’ handicap hurdle where Diggin Deep bounced back to form in first time blinkers.

The 11-year-old, who is the first horse owned by Killian Carroll. might well have won on his debut for the Fahey yard in March only to come down at the last fence at Leopardstown and he has struggled to match that form since then, most recently when pulling up over hurdles at Tramore last weekend.

It was all change here though as Diggin Deep travelled powerfully throughout, eased to the head of the field turning for home and went on to defeat Ask David by three lengths.

“He travelled well all the way and picked up well. When he got to the front he seemed delighted with himself and he just stayed going well.

“I’d say he definitely prefers this ground and the blinkers helped too,” declared the rider.

There was a more predictable winner of the last as Willie and Patrick Mullins joined forces with Dani Barcelona who won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race with something to spare.

This W.K. & Marjorie McCarthy Partnership-owned mare is the fifth winner out of the Irish Cesarewitch winner Dani California and travelled smoothly throughout before easing to the head of the field in the straight.

The 8/13 favourite ran out an easy four-length winner over Ask For Fame and looks another nice prospect for her trainer.

Tommydan takes advantage after dramatic exit

THE two divisions of the two-mile opportunity maiden hurdle provided more than their share of late drama which had contrasting results for punters.

In the opening division, the market leader Karakhan looked as though he could be doing enough to succeed on the approach to the last flight but he ducked left and demolished the wing of that flight to put himself out of the race.

Happily both he and Shane Mulcahy emerged from this incident unscathed and their exit enabled the Debbie Hartnett-trained and Ambrose McCurtin-ridden Tommydan to defeat General Clermont by three parts of a length. Tommydan is owned by Macroom-based Dan Creedon.

“We’d have been fierce disappointed if he didn’t finish in the first four,” reflected the trainer whose focus is mainly on point-to-points was sending out her first winner on the track for almost 10 years.

“He’s come on a lot from Limerick and I’d say he’s a horse that is going to improve with racing. They went a strong gallop which suited and he was very genuine all the way to the line.”

Well backed

Joseph O’Brien’s Golfe Clair was backed from 11/2 into 7/4 leading up to his appearance in the second divide of the maiden hurdle. Hugh Morgan took the mount on this five-year-old, who is owned by the trainer’s sister Sarah, and the strong travelling Golfe Clair looked to have victory in the bag as the last flight loomed.

Disaster nearly struck there as the Masked Marvel gelding clipped the top of that flight, stumbled on landing and lost his hind end too. However, he righted himself quickly to hold Hophornbeam by two and three quarter lengths.

“He was very good the way he gathered himself together after the last. It was just a bit of a scary moment but he had plenty left in the tank to recover. There’s plenty of improvement in him and I’d say he has a bright future,” commented the winning rider.

McCurtin double

After his win on Tommydan in the opener, Ambrose McCurtin went on to record the third double of his career when Romella (15/2) took the mares’ handicap hurdle where there was further drama with four horses coming down at the second flight.

John Joe Walsh’s charge avoided that early trouble and at the other end of the race she fended off April’s Moon to record a two-length triumph. Romella is owned by Anthony Byrne.