GORDON Elliott, who was busy supervising Markhan’s successful Stateside raid on Saturday, has made a rapid start to the new season and reeled off a treble on the opening day of the Killarney May Festival which included a victory for Star Maker in the €50,000 Kelly Brothers Handicap Hurdle.

A smooth win in a Punchestown handicap back in November suggested that Star Maker could be the type to land a decent prize at some point and he duly bounced back from a below par run at Christmas to enter Galway Hurdle calculations.

A patient Denis O’Regan bided his time down the inner and he had to wait for an opening to appear in the straight. He was rewarded after two out where he was able to switch out Star Maker who then ran down La Sorelita before holding Tudor City by half a length. The 16/1 chance carries the colours of the Thomond Racing Club.

“He’s a better horse fresh and it was always the plan to try him in a decent handicap hurdle when he came back from his break,” reported Elliott.

“We’ll aim towards Galway with him and whether he runs again before then I don’t know. I’m not sure if he will get into the Galway Hurdle but if he doesn’t there is always the €80,000 consolation race on the Friday evening.”

Jack Kennedy was on board Ellliott’s two other winners and the second of these came when the prolific hurdler Dinons justified odds of 1/4 to defeat his three rivals in the BetVictor Novice Chase over two and three quarter miles.

The Tim O’Driscoll-owned gelding took advantage of a gilt edged opportunity to record a straight forward success from the front, defeating Rock Road by two lengths.

Earlier the Kennedy-ridden Hammerstein (5/2) picked up the Killarney Towers Maiden Hurdle. The James Power-owned son of Dansili finished with a length and three-quarters to spare over the 50/1 shot Right Destination on his first start since September.

Denis Hogan was taken to hospital with a suspected chest injury after a fall from Marine One at the third last here.

CLASSY ELIMAY

The talented Elimay, who headed a select Willie Mullins team for the May meeting, duly confirmed the promise of her Punchestown Festival triumph to give the trainer a third straight success in the Listed BetVictor Mares Hurdle. The J.P. McManus-owned grey was dropping down in trip to an extended two miles and was encountering appreciably quicker ground than she did at Punchestown but neither factor was a concern.

The Paul Townend-ridden grey was the 8/15 favourite and she made all the running for a very comfortable success over the 110-rated Kilbarry Way. The market leader’s chief rival, Pearl Of The West, pulled up before three out and was reported never to have travelled.

FLANAGAN’S STREAK

Sean Flanagan made it four winners in three days with a double that began aboard Liz Doyle’s Feel Des Mottes (6/1) who was returning from a year off in the BetVictor Maiden Hurdle. The opening race of the May Festival was quite an attritional affair as it claimed five casualties. Very few of the runners got involved as Feel Des Mottes and Morning Skye battled up front from the outset.

The winner, who was placed on both his flat outings in France last spring, ran on well from the last to prevail by three-quarters of a length. Feel Des Mottes is owned by M L Bloodstock whose French imports this year have included the likes of Fakir D’Oudairies and the Cheltenham bumper runner-up Blue Sari.

Jockey Martin Burke went to hospital with facial injuries when his mount Thousand Tears was one of three to depart at the second flight.

Sean Flanagan then added to his tally when Colin Bowe’s Victoria Bay (11/4) picked up the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase. On her second run over fences, the Rich and Nora Furlong-owned daughter of Doyen showed a good attitude to get the better of a protracted battle with Mega Mindy.

SUCCESS FOR O’FLYNN

Holly Flight, who ran a number of solid races in defeat last autumn before switching to the point-to-point field for a period, recorded a deserved success in the Killarney Publications Handicap Chase.

A first winner on the track in almost three years for trainer Paul O’Fynn, the 5/1 chance responded well to Eoin O’Brien’s urgings to defeat the well backed Dundeedy Lad. The victorious daughter of Walk In The Park is owned by Mike Fennessy.

JOSEPH ON FORM

After striking with King’s Vow at Leopardstown, Joseph O’Brien then sent out Home By The Lee to take the Jim Ryan Services-sponsored bumper.

Tom Hamilton was board the Sean O’Driscoll-owned and bred son of Fame And Glory who is an own-brother to Beautiful Citi, a three-times winner for the trainer and owner last season.

The 7/2 favourite turned in a nice effort to account for Pipers Meadow who was second in a Ballinrobe bumper last month.