A TERRIFIC season regularly punctuated by major handicap wins yielded another big pot for promising claimer Simon Torrens as he teamed up with the Tom Mullins-trained Scoir Mear to bag the €80,000 Baroneracing.com Leinster National Handicap Chase.

In a race dominated by J.P. McManus, who enjoyed a one-two-three, the 11-year-old winner was gaining just reward for a season in which he has contended for some of the best handicap chases in the country.

The son of Exit To Nowhere was always nicely placed towards the outer for Torrens and he took charge of this race approaching the second last.

Another McManus runner, the favourite Ten Ten, arrived with a menacing effort but he could find no way past a dogged Scoir Mear who kept on well to score by two lengths.

Fitzhenry caught the eye with a strong finishing third while fourth went to the top-weight Class Conti.

“He’s been consistent all year and he likes a bit of light in his race so I told Simon to stay towards the outside and he said he loved it all the way around,” said Mullins. “The Irish Grand National is there for him.”

Curran’s Gold

The most improbable winner of the day came when Jacksons Gold (11/1) pulled victory out of the fire in the Bar One Racing-sponsored handicap hurdle over just short of two and a half miles.

This Alice Curran-trained gelding had most of the field to pass early in the straight and a midfield finish looked the best he could hope for nearing the final flight. However, Ian Power’s mount sprouted wings on the run-in and charged past one rival after another to strike the front late on and defeat Strange Notions by a length and a quarter. Big King, who seemed certain to succeed on the run-in, had to settle for third.

A likeable type, Jacksons Gold was notching up his third win from seven career starts and he could have one more run this season before going chasing reported Alice Curran whose father, Stephen, owns the winner.

A good run for Oliver McKiernan continued into the Bar One-sponsored 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over two miles where Junior Rattler struck at 20/1 under Barry Browne.

This unexposed six-year-old bounced back from an unplaced handicap debut at Punchestown earlier in the month as he came from well off a searing pace to lead at the last and go on to defeat Danegeld by a length.

FRESH from her treble at Navan the previous afternoon, Denise Foster once again made her presence felt as Conflated (4/9) took advantage of a good opportunity in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Directors Plate Novice Chase.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding didn’t always convince with his jumping but he still made this look quite easy under Jack Kennedy. As the runners approached the straight in this two-and-a-half-mile affair, Conflated strode to the front with purpose and he asserted between the last two fences to hand out a 21-length beating to the 125-rated Waitnsee.

“He’s a talented horse and going this way around suits him well. We were in two minds as to whether to go to Cheltenham but this looked a nice opportunity and he’s done it well,” said the trainer. “There isn’t much for him going left-handed this season so we might have to look at either Fairyhouse or Punchestown.”

Valentine’s day

The day concluded with a terrific display from John Kiely’s newcomer Shuil Valentine (11/2) who belied her inexperience to annihilate a useful field in the Bar One Racing Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race.

Jockey David Kiely didn’t have to move a muscle for his mount to ease to the front well over a furlong from home and Shuil Valentine eased clear to win by nine lengths.

The margin of victory could have been at least double and this Kathleen Roche-Nagle-owned daughter of Presenting looks to have a huge future.

“We were thinking of running her in the Grade 2 mares’ bumper at Leopardstown last month but we said we’d give her a little more time to furnish and she was very impressive there. On that she’s well entitled to go to Punchestown for the Grade 3 mares’ bumper,” stated the trainer’s nephew Tom.

Tom Feeney, who rode the fourth-placed Feddans, was hit with a seven-day whip ban for his efforts.

Swan wings home on Hyde family’s charge

THE 18-year-old amateur Harry Swan has quietly but consistently been making quite a name for himself this term and he secured the biggest success of his nascent career aboard On Eagles Wings, trained by his grandfather Timmy Hyde, in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle.

Just under two months after making his first ride over hurdles a winning one on the same horse, Swan was coolness personified as he bided his time off a strong early pace before producing his mount with a telling challenge in the straight.

The front-running Goodbye Someday took plenty of subduing but On Eagles Wings forced his way past late in the day to prevail by half a length. This was the fourth time that On Eagles Wings and Swan have successfully combined.

“My son Tim persuaded me to run here – I was thinking of running him in a handicap,” remarked Hyde who trains the Flemensfirth gelding for his wife Trish. “They went some gallop but Harry gave him a good ride and was very cool on him. Fairyhouse and Punchestown could be there for him and we’re looking forward to him going chasing next season.”

Jungle on-song

Jessica Harrington’s Jungle Junction, who had run to a solid standard on his three previous outings over fences, opened his account over the larger obstacles in the Bar One Racing Price Boost Beginners Chase over two miles.

The Olivia Frost-owned gelding looked to have quite a battle on his hands coming to two out where he was locked in combat with chief rival Ujumpthelastuwin but the last-named came down there to leave Robbie Power’s mount well clear. This left the 6/4 favourite to defeat Brawler by seven lengths.

“He will be a nice horse on spring ground and we’ll step him up to two and a half miles on better ground,” stated Harrington. “Hopefully we can find a winner’s race and then head on to Punchestown.”

Lifetime Ambition was a 10/11 favourite to give Harrington a double in the Bar One-sponsored maiden hurdle over just short of two and a half miles but he had to settle for second behind the 33/1 chance Ballywilliam Boy.

Michael Hourigan’s first winner of the year had shown promise on a number of occasions and won nicely under Mark McDonagh. The Mary Devine-owned son of Vita Venturi had the measure of the market leader nearing the last and went on to prevail by one and three-quarter lengths.

“I think he just might make into a nice horse. Jim Devine lost Drumacoo here four weeks ago and he bought this horse since. We’ve always thought a lot of this horse. I thought he might have won a bumper but his future is over fences,” declared Hourigan.