THE 2023 season at Bettyville began on a familiar note, with Paul Nolan registering a double.

The Enniscorthy handler has enjoyed lots of success at his local track over the years and he struck first with Feet Of A Dancer in the opening Wexford Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Out of the likeable nine-time winner Leah Claire, the Philip Byrne-owned winner was sent off at 9/1 under Sean O’Keeffe.

Always towards the head of affairs, she improved into a share of the lead two out and soon got to the front.

Despite being hampered by the loose Blondesandbubbles approaching the last, she kept on well for pressure on the run-in and came home three and a quarter lengths to the good.

“She has improved mentally and jumped well today. It was a case of avoiding the loose one,” Nolan commented.

“Something like the Lartigue at Listowel could be a race for her later in the year.”

Nolan doubled his tally courtesy of Mercury Lane in the six-runner www.visitwexford.ie Beginners Chase.

Well-supported

Sent off a well-supported 4/1 shot (10/1 early), the Stowaway gelding was given a patient ride by Sean Flanagan, coming to challenge the front-running Where It All Began (7/4 favourite) on the approach to the straight.

He appeared to have the measure of the market leader when that one blundered at the last, with four and a quarter lengths the margin of victory.

“He has been a frustrating sort,” Nolan said of the Brendan McNicholas-owned nine-year-old, whose previous success had been two years ago.

“Jennifer French rides him at home and she said in the last two weeks that he seemed to be different, something changed and he just looks better in himself.”

After a standing start on attempt three, Definitely Darsi shied away from the tape and unseated Sam Ewing, badly hampering Battle Of Benburb (8/1) and Aodhan May (7/2).

Both lost considerable ground as a result, with the latter refusing at the first when trailing in rear.

After a stewards’ enquiry, seven jockeys were issued with bans. Gavin Brouder and Eoin Walsh were given three days, Darragh O’Keeffe two, while Sam Ewing, Richie Deegan, Simon Torrens and Conor Maxwell all received a day.

Maxwell was aboard the eventual winner Ocean Legacy, with this Dermot McLoughlin-trained 22/1 chance (50s early) getting off the mark on her 16th start.

Owned and bred by David Eiffe, the six-year-old led before two out and kept on well for pressure on the run-in to see off So Ladylike (50/1) by a length and a half.

Eiffe also bred Ocean Bright, the dam of the winner, who provided McLoughlin with his first success in the training ranks at Roscommon in August of 2010.

Eventful day

It was an eventful day for Conor Maxwell who earlier saddled Itsabeautifulnoise, his first runner as a trainer, in the Visit Wexford Maiden Hurdle.

Sent off the outsider of the field, he pulled up before the last, with Secret Rock running out a comfortable victor under Peter Carberry.

Entered in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham next week - but unlikely to get in at the bottom of the weights - the Tony Martin-trained bay was sent off a 7/1 chance (from 7/2 early).

Travelling best in third on the approach to two out, the Fascinating Rock four-year-old improved to lead before the last and was ridden clear on the run-in, coming home five lengths to the good.

“It was a low-grade race but he did it well. He will mix it between hurdles and the flat,” Martin, who trains the winner for Newtown Anner Stud, revealed.

Held off

Heliko Conti just denied Martin and Carberry of a double in the M2 Construction Wexford Novice Handicap Hurdle, as he held off the effort of Nemean by a neck.

On what was his handicap debut, the Liam Burke-trained 15/2 chance jumped to the front at the second last and was all out on the run-in to hold on.

Ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe, his third winner of the weekend, the Lauro gelding is owned in partnership by Peter Mulvany and Haras Dormul.

“He won a bumper at Fairyhouse but cracked a pelvis after that and everything went wrong with him,” Burke stated.

“He will make a chaser in time and wants two and a half miles plus on a bigger track.”

DOYEN Ta Win registered her third pillar-to-post win in-a-row, as she dominated the feature Micheal O’Murchadha Memorial Handicap Hurdle.

Cruelly nabbed on the line after attempting to make all at the venue in October, the Declan Queally-trained five-year-old has since recorded wins at Limerick and Naas respectively.

Sent off the 2/1 favourite to complete the hat-trick under Kevin Sexton, she soon raced in a clear lead and kept up the gallop all the way to the line, coming home 10 lengths to the good in the colours of the Newbury Syndicate.

A four-time winner and a fine servant to connections, Jiving Jerry unfortunately suffered a fatal fall two flights from the finish.

“She goes as hard as she can, for as long as she can, but I was confident we’d get home. She travelled better and felt better on this ground,” Sexton divulged.

Favouites

There was further success for favourite backers in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race, with Dancing City (4/7 favourite from 1/4 early) going a place better than he did 12 months ago.

Never far from the pace under Patrick Mullins, the chesnut gelding led entering the straight and while he soon edged left and bumped eventual runner-up Littlefoot, he kept on best for pressure in the closing stages, coming home half-a-length to the good.

“Eventually, a year later!” winning trainer Willie Mullins quipped. “We had given him an entry for Cheltenham but he won’t go now. We’ll try to find a winners’ bumper for him at home.”

Mullins and winning owner Joe Donnelly were completing an across the card double, having earlier took the second at Leopardstown with Parmenion.

The master of Closutton was present at the Foxrock venue along with his mother Maureen, before the pair travelled south to Wexford.