CONOR Stone Walsh partnered his biggest winner since switching to the jumping game last season as Idas Boy recorded a 40/1 shock in the €100,000 Kilmurray’s Homevalue Hardware Mullingar Midlands National Handicap Chase.

The Gigginstown-owned gelding made headway on the outer approaching the straight in this three miles and one furlong test. After landing in front at the final fence, he kept on strongly on the run-in to beat 3/1 favourite Amirite by three lengths with a fading Tullybeg half a length further back in third.

Summer success

It was a third win in Kilbeggan’s big race of the summer for trainer Noel Meade who said, “Conor got a great tune out of him because he wasn’t going early but he got him going and got him jumping. Going around the outside probably helped him to do that and the fact they went very quick he stayed on well.

“He is a very good horse but is not the simplest horse to keep right and has had a lot of issues over the years. I think he’s had more broken bones than Paul Carberry! Sam (Ewing) was on him at Punchestown and thought he might have won and he didn’t pick up at the third last.

“He then went to Ballinrobe and didn’t want to know at all about jumping and the run at Listowel the last day helped to sweeten him up a bit. If he’s sound and all goes well then he’ll go for the (Galway) Plate.”

Pace setting

Keith Donoghue continues to set the pace at the head of the jockeys’ championship and moved onto the 17-winner mark for the season with a 34/1 double aboard Ceanndana and Bardenstown Lad.

The Hows Your Father Syndicate were out in force to enjoy the victory of 4/1 favourite Ceanndana in the three miles and one furlong handicap hurdle after the Ross O’Sullivan-trained gelding, successful over fences at Tramore last time, led before the last and kept on well for a comfortable two-length win.

“They’re a great bunch of lads all from around Dublin who know each other a long time and this is their first horse.

“He doesn’t show a whole lot at home but is just after getting a lot of confident and is improving all the time,” said O’Sullivan.

“I was struggling to find a race for him and that’s why we went for this as he’s 6lb better in over hurdles than he is over fences. He’ll probably go back for a chase now and is a great fun horse to have.”

Following up

Bardenstown Lad followed up a hurdle win here in May when heading Charlie Luciano before the last and drawing clear to score by five lengths in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.

“He got his confidence up winning here the last day and jumped well. He got a little bit cold at halfway, but warmed into it again and stayed well,” said Donoghue of the 6/1 winner, trained by Gavin Cromwell for Derek Kierans.

“He may go for the two-mile, six-furlong handicap hurdle in Galway on the Saturday.”

SAM Ewing is just one behind Donoghue after making it seven winners in the space of eight days as The Wallpark defied top-weight in the Writech Handicap Hurdle.

Trained by Gordon Elliott for Francis Mangan, the 11/1 chance gradually warmed to his task leading after two out to beat Natural Look by a length and three-quarters.

Elliott’s assistant Ian ‘Busty’ Amond said, “It was a great ride by Sam. He looked in trouble early on and had to give him a reminder or two to keep his mind on the job. He’s won four now, so if they all did that you’d be going alright.”

Rare winner

Veteran Curragh trainer Kevin Prendergast gained a rare winner over jumps as first reserve Smiling Bess just prevailed by a short-head from Churchwarden in a thrilling finish to the Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey Maiden Hurdle.

“She jumped, travelled well and was tough all the way to line. To be honest I thought she was beat as this place usually favours the inside,” said winning rider Jody McGarvey.

“I play a bit of golf with Kevin and drink the odd pint with him in the golf club in Cill Dara. I’ve been schooling away for him over the winter, and he lets me ride them when I can. I’m delighted to ride a winner for him as he’s such a legend of the game and a gentleman to go along with it.”

Incidentally the 14/1 winner, owned and bred by the Barrywhite Partnership, is out of the Beneficial mare Katie T who provided Prendergast with one of his biggest victories over hurdles when landing the BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2015.

IT will be interesting to see the handicapper’s reaction after confirmed front-runner Kilashee turned division two of the Larrigy’s Pub Handicap Hurdle into a rout.

Shane Fitzgerald’s mount built up a sizeable lead early and after getting a breather in around four out, stretched clear again after the penultimate flight to record a facile 38-length success.

“Kilcarry Bridge is her brother who won nine races and Willie Mullins had New Kid In Town another brother, it’s some family. They want to go out and race and they wear their heart on their sleeve,” said John Ryan, who trains the 3/1 favourite for the Bitview Partnership.

“Shane is the only man to have won on her. He’s coming into me a few days a week and I’m delighted to see him back riding winners. We’ll mix it between hurdles and fences and hopefully the handicapper won’t be too hard on her.”

Lucky 10

Onefortheditch, a point-to-point winner at Ballindenisk this spring, opened her account at the 10th attempt under rules in division one.

Owned and bred by Vincent Sheehan and trained by Eamonn Gallagher, the 4/1 favourite travelling well to lead at the final flight and was driven out by Simon Torrens to beat Hatfield Hammer by half a length.

Torrens said, “We said we’d ride her a bit handier today, but I couldn’t go the gallop early and had to revert to plan B. She doesn’t do a lot off the bridle, but she did battle today. Two miles and three around here on that sort of ground is sharp enough for her.”

There was a sting in the tail for Torrens who was given a four-day whip ban.

Marvel-ous

Slim Marvel, trained by Andy Slattery for the Niland & Burke Syndicate, gained reward for a number of placed efforts in the Kilbegganraces.com Mares Maiden Hurdle with the 10/3 chance making most under Philip Donovan and overcoming a mistake at the last to beat Four Clean Aces by three-quarters of a length.