DONNACHA O’Brien and Gavin Ryan combined for a brace of winners on the card through Shimmy Jimmy (9/4 favourite) and Naval Force (9/2).

The opening Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden of €25,000 attracted 19 runners and 100/1 outsider Rion Rubette attempted to cause an upset when she took a narrow lead from Shimmy Jimmy a furlong down.

The favourite rallied to regain the lead in the closing stages, though, and ultimately beat Rion Rubette by half a length for owner Anne Marie O’Brien.

Ryan said: “It did of course (experience told) - he’s a tough, honest type of horse. They went a real good gallop the last day down in Listowel and the winner had a little bit more experience and it probably showed on a tight turning track like Listowel.

“Back here today, we fancied him big time. They went a good gallop in front of me, gave me something to aim at and, once the gap came and I gave him a kick in the belly, he saw it out well to the line. He’s tough and honest.”

Stiff task

Naval Force faced a stiff task at the weights in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race, but that didn’t stop him making all under Ryan.

The Equator, with a rating of 101, went off even-money favourite and tried to pursue the leader a furlong and a half down, however, it was to no avail as Naval Force sailed in by two and three quarter lengths having attracted support down to 9/2.

Ryan, in the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Exors of the late Albert Frassetto silks, said: “It didn’t work out on the day (13th in King George V Stakes), but we knew we lost nothing in defeat. You can see that today, he came back here in flying form. The race (in Royal Ascot) took nothing out of him.”

REINFORCE made the breakthrough under Ronan Whelan in the Newgrange Hotel Handicap over five furlongs.

The son of Tasleet, owned by the Orchard Garden Syndicate, raced close to the pace and took over a furlong and a half out. He saw off a staying-on Only Spoofing by three quarters of a length at 12/1.

Trainer Katy Brown said:  “We haven’t had him that long, he came from Danny Murphy’s. Since he has come, he has improved away the whole time.

“He has been a bit of a frustrating horse because there has been a couple of times he should have got his head in front. I brought him to Ayr and he finished fourth and he probably should have won that day.”

Double up

Whelan brought up his double aboard Doctor Grace in the Navan Racing Festival November 16th and 17th Handicap for the well-represented Dundalk Racing Club.

This four-year-old filly has been in a consistent vein of form for Michael Halford and Tracey Collins, and showed her mettle when produced to lead in the final 100 yards. She stayed on well in the closing stages of this extended mile and a quarter trip to score by half a length at 6/1.

Halford said: “She wasn’t winning out of turn. She had a horrendous draw that day (fourth here in June) - she was drawn 23 and she is a filly that takes a while to warm up into her races, so she got into a difficult position that day and it was too much for her. That race produced a lot of winners.

“I’m delighted for the Dundalk Racing Club, they are great supporters of racing in general. They take great pleasure in it.”

IT’SONLYJUSTBEGUN justified 7/4 favouritism in the Navan Adventure Centre Apprentice Handicap for Jessica Harrington, and owners Mrs David Nagle, Mrs John Magnier and Mrs Paul Shanahan.

Keithen Kennedy rode her to the front a furlong from home and she hit the line a length up on Explorers Way.

Harrington said: “In Roscommon she just missed the kick, she got upset in the stalls and missed the kick. Around there, she couldn’t get into it. I’ll see where we go, but she will step up in class a bit now. I think she will get a mile and a half.

“I’d love him (Kennedy) to win it (apprentices’ title) this year. Every time she hung a bit, he straightened her up. He’s very good and he is a lovely lad.”

Winning return

Michael O’Callaghan’s Mehmar hadn’t been seen on a racetrack for more than two years, but it was no impediment to him as he made all in the Ardboyne Hotel Maiden for owner MyRacehorse.

His rivals were unable to reel him in and the four-year-old gelding took the honours by a length and a half after his price halved from 6/1 to 3/1.

Jockey Colin Keane said: “He had good form as a two-year-old. Fair ask off the track that long and giving the likes of Jack Davison’s horse (Betsen) plenty of weight.

“A very strong horse and handles that quick ground well. You would imagine he is only going to get better with racing, so hopefully he can keep progressing for them.”

Powerful

Rappell (4/1 favourite) powered through to win the Castle Arch Hotel Handicap over the extended five furlongs.

Once Paul Flynn’s charge grabbed the lead from Limoncello Lady a furlong down, he looked to have all angles covered and was kept up to his work by Billy Lee to score by a length and a half.

“He’s a fine, big horse and he’s learning away on the job. He jumped good there and travelled, and it was a lovely race to ride in. Nice to get something to aim at. He picked up well to get to it, but when he got to the front he is just doing enough,” Lee said.