GORDON Elliott enjoyed a closing race double at Killarney on Tuesday evening, with two horses better known as hurdlers reverting to the flat.

Former Lartigue Hurdle winner Samui proved far too strong for a sextet of rivals when easily landing the Killarney Racegoers Club Handicap under Declan McDonogh. Sent off 5/6 favourite, the Allan Snow-owned gelding led early in the straight, before powering clear for a 17-length success.

McDonogh later reported: “They went very hard and the race fell apart, so I think the distance is exaggerated as the others just stopped and I stayed going.

“He is a fine horse, is improving and while he was previously tough to get out of the gates, he has gone a lot sweeter and jumped today. The pace was strong and I couldn’t fault him. He is an improving horse and could go to Galway for something.”

Followed up

Mordor followed up his recent maiden hurdle win at Sligo when staying on late to land the Innisfallen Island (Q.R.) Maiden under Josh Williamson.

Owned by Ray Stokes, the 7/2 chance completed the Elliott brace when overhauling The Banger Doyle close home to record a half-length success.

Winning jockey Williamson said: “He broke well, I had a nice position for the first five or six furlongs but was pushed out a bit wide on the bend racing away from the stands.

“I gave him a chance and a breather and he was flat out going down the back straight but turning in, he started coming alive under me.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to get there but he kept on really well. He is dual purpose and will be great fun for connections.”

JESSICA Harrington won the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap for the fourth successive year as Mo Ghille Mar made all under Shane Foley.

Carrying the colours of OTI Racing and Bronsan Racing, the 5/1 chance skipped clear inside the final furlong to win by three and three quarter lengths from Star Kissed.

Harrington’s son-in-law Richie Galway reported: “We were a little anxious about the ground but she handled it really well and Shane was positive on her. She was up in trip today and looks like she will go further.

“Shane was confident she would stay but she really dug in and was impressive and won nicely. She enjoyed the quicker ground and learned plenty. Obviously, the field cut up but there were other fancied horses in it and it was a nice pot to win. We will see what the handicapper does and make a plan from there.”

O’Brien in the opener

Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle won the opening race for the second consecutive evening when Shavasi justified 6/4 favouritism in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

The Marco and Natalie Steinmann owned three-year-old led from over a furlong out, staying on strongly to beat Shania by three quarters of a length.

McMonagle said: “It’s been fairly good to us the last couple of days, the horses are in good order and this was plain sailing. She’s a nice filly, and is progressing. She jumped well, was professional and was well on top at the line. She wasn’t doing a whole lot in front and I thought she was strong at the line.

“It took a little bit of time for her just to get into top gear and for the penny to drop, but once I got a half-length up on her, she was always just doing what she needed to, but I was always holding them off well.

“Being drawn out wide and the ground being fairly quick around here, it pays to be on the front end, so I was keen just to get her into a nice rhythm and keep it smooth on her. The pace wasn’t overly strong for the first couple of furlongs, so I was able to put her in that position without using up too much, so it worked out well.”

Nelda gets off the mark

NELDA made a winning stable debut for Paddy Twomey when readily landing the Executive Helicopters Maiden under Billy Lee.

The 4/9 favourite carried the colours of owner Vimal Khosla to an eased down seven-and-a-half lengths success.

Twomey said of the four-year-old: “She is a well-bred filly, is a sister to two Group 1 winners (Persuasive and Creative Force) and it is nice to break her maiden so this was important. She was entitled to win and are delighted to win. We will go home now, see how she is and make a plan.”

Nakasero was another winning favourite on the evening, justifying odds of 2/1 favourite for Michael Halford and Tracey Collins in the O’Sullivan’s Cascade Handicap.

Ridden by stable jockey Ronan Whelan, the Holy Roman Emperor gelding made most for a comfortable two-and-three-quarter length win.

Halford later said: “He got unbalanced crossing the road at Bellewstown the last day but is learning with each run and I felt on his homework, that he had stepped up. He has probably learned more and that left-handed, level track is ideal for him.

“I’m delighted for Mark Phelan who is a good owner of ours and has been patient with this lad. It is great to give him his first winner in Killarney and he was here to see it.”

Well-timed run

Colin Keane produced the Willie Mullins-trained Alpha Capture with a well-timed run to win the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa Handicap.

Sent off 4/1 joint favourite, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding got up in the shadow of the post for a head win.

Winning jockey Keane reported: “He stepped right up in trip the last day on his first run when Willie had nothing (no head-gear) on him, so it was more a fact-finding mission. He was fresh and keen then, but they put a hood and ring bit on him today when dropping back in trip, which helped.

“They went a good gallop, he had a good draw so had cover and he seems to enjoy coming through horses. It is nice to get that done.”