JOCKEY Barry John Foley had a busy time of it last weekend, notching up his first double at Wexford before travelling over to Newcastle to ride Violiniste for Ronan McNally the following day and then travelling back to ride at Tramore on Sunday.

Nevertheless, the 7lb claimer has a strong work ethic and was not found wanting with his handling of Roger McGrath’s well-supported 3/1 favourite Miss Eyecatcher in the Springtime In Wexford Maiden Hurdle.

Owned by the Connery Family Syndicate, made up of brothers Padraig, Niall and Kieran Connery and their cousins from Aglish and Clashmore in Co Waterford, the King’s Theatre mare was on offer at 10/1 the previous evening.

Given a confident ride by Foley, Miss Eyecatcher lived up to her name when making stealthy headway to give chase to the leading group before the turn into the straight and heading Getaway Kid before the final flight. The latter conjured up a renewed effort in the closing stages, but the post came in time for Miss Eyecatcher who held on by a neck.

Padraig Connery said: “She won three point-to-points and it’s nice to get off the mark over hurdles.

“She’s been very lucky for us and might go to Fairyhouse or Punchestown.”

Foley’s brother-in-law Garrett Power kept it in the family when supplying the jockey with his second winner through 11/1 shot Ballinaboola who proved two and a half lengths too good for Robyns Approach in division one of the Slaney Estuary 80-95 Handicap Hurdle.

The seven-year-old, who gave his Maddoxtown, Co Kilkenny owner Seamus Tobin his first success, was having his second outing for the Windgap trainer and Power reflected: “I don’t have him that long and gave him one run at Punchestown on ground he didn’t like just to familiarise myself with the horse. He wants better ground and is a summer horse.”

Sadly, Ballinaboola was fatally injured racing at Tramore on Monday.

FOLEY WINS

All In The Head, from the Tom Foley stable, took the honours in the second division when running out the two and three-quarter- length victor in the hands of Roger Loughran.

There was an unfortunate sting in the tail for the jockey, who went to the front off the last bend, as he picked up a three-day careless riding ban for moving his position from the outside to the inner, thereby causing a three horse pile-up.

Foley, who trains the King’s Theatre mare for her Goresbridge breeder Michael O’Dowd, observed: “She’s a filly we’ve always liked, but she got badly hurt in a bumper at Punchestown in November 2014. She fractured her pelvis in three places and it took a long time to put her right. John Murray, the vet, did a lot of work with her and you wouldn’t get a better owner than Michael.

“I’m waiting to see her over fences because she’s an unbelievable jumper, but we have the cross broke now and we’re not going to get carried away.”

CODD FLIES IN

Leading amateur Jamie Codd, who finished second on Cause Of Causes in the Randox Health Grand National 24 hours later, was another man to make a flying visit to his local track when sandwiching an impressive 12-length win for the Jonathan Sweeney-trained Minutestomidnight in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race in between visits to Aintree.

The well-bred 8/1 chance, from the family of Shannon Spray, carries the colours of former amateur Larry Murphy from Castlelyons and is unbeaten in two starts, following her Lingstown point-to-point win under Codd last March.

Said Sweeney: “She’s a lovely mare and she got a small cut after winning at Lingstown that set her back. Larry never puts me under pressure, but today was the plan and it worked put, with Jamie flying back to ride her.”

The rider’s brother Willie was away enjoying a rare day off at Aintree and missed seeing his course specialist Tellthemnuttin record her third success at the venue on her first attempt at three miles in the Welcome To Wexford Racecourse Rated Novice Hurdle.

The 5/1 chance, who is stabled just four miles from the track, made good progress from the rear under Dylan Robinson to lead before the second last and opened up from there to score by three and three-quarter lengths from Boru Boy.

Tellthemnuttin races for the six-member Heads Or Harps Syndicate from Dublin and Limerick and their agent, Eamonn Fahy, commented: “She’s going for the Martinstown Opportunity Final in Punchestown – it fits in nicely for her and Dylan gave her good ride.

The Oulart 81-123 Handicap Hurdle produced a local winner in Little Mitch who was driven out from the last by J.J. Slevin to take the spoils for Yvonne Latta’s Enniscorthy yard by three lengths, at a price of 8/1, from joint-favourites Admiral Brian and Seskinane.

Latta, whose husband Charlie owns the eight-year-old Westerner mare, said: “My son Andrew does all the work with her and wondered, looking at her yesterday, whether she was fit, but she’s a mare who carries condition. He was hoping she’d be in the frame and she may be little, but she has a big, big heart. She might get into something at Punchestown.”

Only six fences were jumped in the Vinegar Hill Mares Beginners Chase after the second last and final obstacles were omitted due to the low lying sun and that turned the race into a virtual flat contest. The Gordon Elliott-trained Water Sprite, with Denis O’Regan in the saddle, took full advantage to justify 5/2 favouritism by a comfortable three and a half lengths from Blazing West.

The six-year-old daughter of Papal Bull was cheered home by the Five Men Syndicate and Elliott’s assistant Ollie Murphy commented: “Denis said the fences being taken out were a hindrance, more than anything and we were very sweet on her beforehand.

“She’ll more than pay her way over the summer and should win on the flat. The better the ground, the better she is and she’s a good fun mare owned by a good bunch of lads.”

The David Splaine-ridden Spancil Hill ran out a surprise 10/1 winner of the Boolavogue Handicap Chase when trouncing Rare Legend by 23 lengths. Owner/ trainer Michael McDonogh’s assistant Jamie Ivors remarked: “He was disappointing in Thurles last time where something happened to him at the third fence. He jumped out to his left after that, so we came here and reaped the dividend.

“David said he’s better going left-handed, but I didn’t think he’d go on the ground. We’ll see what’s coming up; he’s still an unexposed horse with not many runs.”

Acting Stewards:

M.C. Hickey, N.P. Lambert, A.J. Molloy, L. Walsh.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

GETAWAY KID (N. Meade) Showed great resolution in conjuring up a renewed effort to get within a neck of Miss Eyecatcher and could be worth following.