THE Gordon Elliott-trained Royal Eagle (4/1 favourite) surged home to nail No Niki No at the end of a mile and five furlongs in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.

It couldn’t be said that the four-time hurdles winner travelled well throughout under in-form apprentice Keithen Kennedy, and the duo still had plenty on their plate in fifth place a furlong down. They made up a lot of ground, however, to foil No Niki No by half a length for owners David Monaghan, Adam Lord and Paddy Monaghan.

Kennedy said: “It was her first run back on the flat for a while. She winged the gates for me but was just a little bit outpaced early on.

“I just left her alone, got into a nice rhythm and she picked up and did it nicely. I’ve finished the Leaving Certificate now and things are going well on the track.”

It’s been a frustrating campaign for last season’s champion apprentice Jamie Powell and he picked up a 20-day suspension for careless riding (fifth offence) on his mount Finsceal Annie after being found to have caused interference shortly after the start in the Bay Leaf Handicap.

At the business end, the Adam Caffrey-partnered Gregorina (12/1) cut down front-running Dolce Far Niente in the final strides to score by a neck.

Trainer Ado McGuinness said: “We’d no option but to drop her in because she was drawn so wide, so I told Adam to ride for luck and see what happens. It worked out and he gave her a great ride.

“I’d say there’s another day in her somewhere along the line. She’s a great fun filly and the boys (Mark Devlin, Philip Smith and Nigel O’Hare) only gave four grand for her, so she was a very cheap filly.”

THE business end of the Treacy’s Pharmacies Handicap only involved two horses and it was Brave Troop (5/1) who got the measure of the favourite See Me Through by half a length.

Sarah Corcoran’s five-year-old has recently changed stables to Alan McIntyre for whom this was a first success in the training ranks.

It wasn’t without incident, though, as the Luke McAteer-ridden winner tightened up his rival on the rail in the closing stages but no inquiry was called.

McIntyre said: “I’m very fortunate that I got a job working for Michael and Ruth Foley at Old Leighlin Stables. I’m only in the job a couple of weeks and I’ve around 10 horses in.

“This horse is quirky and kicked the box the whole way from Carlow, but he’s tough and we’ll find something at Galway for him. He wouldn’t want the ground any quicker than this.

“I was head lad for Emmet Mullins for two years and then I pre-trained for Jessie Harrington for two years as well.”

Juja Kibo (16/1) put in a power-packed finish for Billy Lee to grab the spoils in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over the extended mile and a furlong trip.

Trained by Richard O’Brien for his father Willie, the Belardo gelding came from rear of mid-division to win a shade cosily by a head from Mythical Rock.

Lee said: “He’s a fine big horse who was a bit green with me early on, but came home well. I hadn’t much room coming off the final bend and I felt he would have been an unlucky loser if he hadn’t got there.

“He had four or five lengths to make up, so obviously he has a little bit of ability and is a nice horse going forward.”

There was some roar when Mayo For Sam hit the front inside the final quarter of a mile of the Gain The Advantage Series Handicap but she couldn’t repel Desert Friend’s strong finish.

The pair were locked together in the closing stages and it was Desert Friend, trained by Denise Foster for the Magnificent Eight Syndicate, who thrust best for the line to score by a head at odds of 11/2.

Winning rider Ben Coen said: “I got to the leader’s girth fairly comfortably but it probably spurred that horse on and she kept finding a bit, but I’d say my lad was probably value for the winning margin. Hopefully there’s another day in him.”

THERE’S No Limit (11/1) got up close home in the Linden Bloodstock Apprentice Claiming Race to score for Cian Collins and Jack Kearney.

The No Nay Never gelding wore down Tartaraghan inside the final furlong to score by half a length.

No horses changed hands afterwards and Kearney said of the AP Partnership’s winner: “He needed every yard of that longer trip today and, once I made his mind up, he won well. He’s very straightforward and loves that good ground.

“I had my first couple of rides over hurdles recently. I’m in Cian’s two mornings a week and go to Gavin Cromwell’s four days a week, so two good yards to base myself in and hopefully get going over jumps for the summer.”

Expound (5/1) wasn’t winning out of turn when holding on in the Lodge At Ashford Castle Maiden.

Got home

The five-year-old gelding, trained by Denis Hogan for the Corner House Syndicate, raced off the front end and got home by half a length from fast-finishing favourite Mr Percy.

Jockey Joey Sheridan said: “He has his own ideas but is consistent, in fairness to him.

“He had a good look at the crowd in the straight, but it’s great to get his head over the line and I’m delighted for his owners because they’ve had to be patient with him.

“I think he’ll be better over hurdles and it’s coming into Denis’ time of year with Galway coming up!”