INFLUENTIAL Lady (13/2) justified plenty of market support when making all under Kieran Callaghan in the featured Boylesports Handicap Hurdle.

Yvonne Hennessy’s nine-year-old, trained by Jimmy Barcoe, came home three and three-quarters of a length to the good over Can’t Stop Smiling.

“She’s won over three miles on soft ground so we weren’t going to hang around, we were going to make it a good test going back to this trip (two miles, one furlong),” Callaghan revealed.

“In fairness we thought it was going to be too sharp for her but the ground is after turning out a little bit slower than good so that probably helped as well.”

All eyes were on the highly-rated flat performer Wordsworth in the opening Breaffy House Resort Maiden Hurdle but the 2021 Irish Derby third had to settle for second behind Art Of Silence (10/3).

The Ger Keane-trained victor, owned by the Quiet Men Partnership, raced close to the pace and battled gamely for Keith Donoghue on the run-in to see off Wordsworth by a neck.

“He’s a lovely big horse, a big baby who’s still only learning,” Keane commented.

“He was running on the flat on soft ground which he couldn’t handle and ended up with a nice mark so I’d be hoping he could win at that game too.

“He wants it just on the easy side of good, like it is here today, he wouldn’t want fast ground. We’ll see what mark he gets, the second horse had a big reputation but I don’t know what sort of a race it was.”

Extrapolation (9/5 favourite), trained by Richard O’Brien for Michael and Joan Toomey, bounced back from some below-par efforts to claim the Harrington Concrete & Quarries Maiden Hurdle.

Settled behind the leaders by Danny Mullins, the grey swept to the front before the final flight and kept on well to see off Clifftop by three lengths.

“I’d made it on him in Punchestown back in May, one came and caught us late on, and I changed things slightly but on good ground on a summer track you can’t be too far off the pace either. He moved up into it as he pleased and has done the job well.”

HEARTS Are Trumps (8/1) showed his class as he defied top-weight in the David Heneghan Memorial Handicap Hurdle.

Second in the Galway Hurdle of 2020, the Des McDonogh-trained 10-year-old improved to lead after the final flight and was ridden out by Aidan Kelly to hold the late effort of Only One Plan by half-a-length.

“The handicapper had given him a chance and had dropped him a good bit,” McDonogh said of the J.P. McManus-owned victor.

“He’s an old horse now but he’s still got the heart for it. He might run in Galway on the Sunday.”

Blitzed

Calico blitzed her rivals in the RBC Brewin Dolphin Rated Novice Hurdle, coming home 14-lengths to the good in the colours of the Goldman Racing Syndicate.

The Spanish Moon filly, trained by Gordon Elliott, eased to the front on the approach to the last and was ridden clear of Lady Of The Vale on the run-in.

“I was probably in front a bit soon and she’s been known to pull up in front a bit,” said winning rider Jack Kennedy. “I wasn’t sure if there was anything coming behind me, there wasn’t, but she can be a bit idle.”

The Claremorris & Ballinrobe Credit Union INH Flat Race looked to be a straightforward task for 2/11 favourite Mister Pink but he was made to work hard for victory

Trained by Willie Mullins for the Beech Tree Stud Syndicate, the Beat Hollow gelding was soon in front but was headed on the approach to the straight before rallying to beat Adela Icon by half-a-length.

“He’s a big long-striding horse and on the tight home bend, he just got very unbalanced,” said winning rider Patrick Mullins.

“I probably should have gone faster on him and we’ll be stepping him up in trip. I think he wants a more galloping track.”

JESINA, out of a half-sister to Jezki, made the breakthrough on her 14th start as she took the first division of the Sweeney Oil Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Ambrose McCurtin.

Previously trained by Jessica Harrington and bought by current connections for 15,500gns in January, the daughter of Milan led after the second-last to beat luckless Glenmalure Lodge, finishing second at Ballinrobe for a fifth time, by two and a quarter lengths.

“She’s well-bred and the main thing was to get a win with her,” said Eoin McCarthy who trains the winner for the Just Seen Ya Racing Syndicate.

“Mark Quaid bought her for breeding and he said if we could find a syndicate we could work away with her.

“It took us a while to figure her out but she’s been going in the right direction and when you go back in her pedigree, when that family starts to improve, they can maintain it so hopefully there’s another one in her. She was off a good mark and stays well.

Father finds form

The John Ryan-trained Father Jed (20/1) registered a ninth career win, and a third at Ballinrobe, as he bounced back to form in the second division of that handicap hurdle.

Having been dropped out in rear by Philip Donovan, the 12-year-old led on the approach to the last and stayed on well to beat No Thanks by two and three-quarters of a length.

“My daughter Gillian owns him now and another daughter Isobel is leading him up this evening. He’s a real family horse,” Ryan commented.

“He probably needed his first couple of runs this year and had dropped down to a winnable mark.”