THE penultimate meeting of the year at Wexford attracted some decent types and none more so than the 140-rated Dancing On My Own who justified 8/13 favouritism in the Casey Cattle Slats Maiden Hurdle.

Last season this Henry de Bromhead inmate twice reached the frame behind the top-class Klassical Dream and even when he was a beaten favourite at the Galway Festival that defeat came against the subsequent stakes winner Diamond Hill.

That calibre of form put this Sean and Bernardine Mulryan-owned gelding on a different level to his opponents and the five-year-old couldn’t have done any more for Rachael Blackmore in sauntering to a 28-length victory over Notice To Close.

“I just think that Galway didn’t suit him. He’s a nice horse who showed very good form last year and it’s good to see him back,” stated de Bromhead who was sending out his first winner for the owners.

“I think we will keep him to left-handed tracks and maybe look at something like the Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan towards the end of November.”

Surin, who was good enough to reach the frame in a Grade 1 won by Sir Erec at Leopardstown last February, struck for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud in the Casey Tarmacadam Mares Hurdle.

Idled

A third winner for jockey Kevin Brogan, this useful daughter of Authorized had built up quite a lead as she neared the straight in this two-and-a-half-mile race.

Possibly the 4/6 favourite idled somewhat as well as getting tired on the ground with the result that her victory was a good deal more laboured than looked likely to be the case but she still finished four and a half lengths in front of the dual bumper winner Uisce Solas.

“She probably wasn’t killing herself in front but it’s good to see her back winning and she jumped better than she did at Gowran a few weeks ago which was good to see,” reported the trainer. “There’s a nice programme of mares’ races for her over hurdles and she might go to Punchestown in a few weeks for a listed hurdle.”

AFTER striking with a useful type in Latest Exhibition at Galway the previous afternoon, Paul Nolan took the wraps off a nice type in Our Friend who made a winning debut in the Casey Concrete Blocks Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles.

This unraced Shantou four-year-old, who was picked up for €18,000 as a foal, was partnered by Kevin Sexton (replacing the injured Bryan Cooper) for his racecourse debut and he produced a display that belied his inexperience.

The Manverton Limited-owned gelding led from two out and defeated My Uncas by just under four lengths to look a horse with a fine future.

Jimmy Mangan sent out his first winner for over a year as Castlebrook (9/2), who had shown plenty of promise to be placed on his five previous racecourse outings, landed the Casey Brothers Supporting Their Local Racecourse Beginners Chase.

Chaser

This two-and-a-half-mile affair was restricted to horses that had never won over hurdles and the Alan and Ann Potts Ltd-owned six-year-old relished the task at hand having always looked a chaser in the making.

He produced a nice front-running display for Philip Enright and had plenty to spare in defeating Stones And Roses by five lengths. The Grade 1 novice chase at Limerick over Christmas is the aim for this gelding.

Berrys’ merry day as Caddy Shack obliges

IT was a day to savour for amateur rider John Berry as the final-year college student partnered the first winner of his career aboard Caddy Shack (14/1) – trained by his father John – in the Casey Conrete-sponsored 80-95 rated three-mile handicap hurdle.

The Joan Berry-owned daughter of Arcadio defeated Bitofalright by eight lengths to give the trainer his first winner since Abbey Magic scored at the Wexford October Bank Holiday meeting of 2016.

Sweeney’s healthy strike rate

TRAINER Jonathan Sweeney, who has operated at a notable strike rate with his handful of runners of the track for the last few seasons, sent out a well-backed winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race in Ten Allin.

The Gold Well half-sister to the Cheltenham bumper winner Cheltenian was returned the 13/8 favourite, having been at least 5/1 earlier in the day, and she took charge of this race in the straight for Ray Barron.

Once she subdued Marie’s Garden, victory was assured and she went on to cross the line five lengths clear of the rallying front-runner Miss Aloud.

The victorious six-year-old carries the colours of the Red Ned’s Racing Club and was putting behind her more than her share of injury tribulations. She is likely to head to Navan at the end of the month for a listed mares’ bumper.

Punches Cross (7/1) got back to the form that saw him win two Naas handicaps last winter as he landed quite a reasonable edition of the Casey Precast Handicap Chase over two and a half miles.

Joseph O’Brien’s charge was at his best last season when pouncing late and J.J. Slevin successfully employed those tactics once more. Just when it seemed Mount Hanover had done enough to keep various rivals at bay the J.P. McManus-owned seven-year-old surged home after the last to prevail by two and three quarter lengths.