THE curtain came down on another fine season in Ballingarry on Sunday, as they staged their annual two-day meeting.

It was a memorable afternoon for several riders including Barry Stone and Adam Ryan who both recorded fine doubles, while the Meath native Conor Bowman gained his first career success.

Stone moved onto the 14-winner mark for the season courtesy of a double which was initiated in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden as the Paul Power-trained Cocovic (4/1) shed his maiden tag at the second time of asking.

A bay son of Ocovango, he had run two weeks earlier at Loughrea and produced a solid fourth placing effort, which he clearly benefitted from.

Carrying the silks of Power’s mother Bride, he was never far off the pace and moved to the head of affairs four from home. That was an advantage he never relinquished as he stretched further clear on the long run to the last to easily defeat Top Guy by nine lengths.

“The ground was very dead the last day in Loughrea, and we weren’t very hard on him,” Power said.

“I was hoping he would win today and just roll away from the front. If he’s not sold now I’d imagine he’ll go for a summer bumper.”

Stone doubles his tally

Just half an hour later the double was sealed when Stone partnered with the Mark Scallen-trained Eager Eyes (3/1) in the six-year-old mares’ maiden.

A chestnut daughter of Leading Light, she justified the decision of her connections to turn her out just a week after running at Stradbally.

Owned and bred by the Roche family, the half-sister to the former Cheltenham Festival winner Great Endeavour, had the measure of Feet On The Ground by two lengths.

“She was taken out of the race the last day, a loose horse hit her on the first circuit,” her owner Shane Roche said.

“I thought that she would win that day, but she came back right today. Better ground is key to her, she ran on soft ground but just didn’t get home.”

My Friend finishes best

Adam Ryan secured the opening leg of his own double aboard the John Neilan-trained My Friend Yeats (4/1 - 5/1) for Galway owner-breeder Michael Ward.

Having looked held back in third on the long run to the last, the winner did much of his best work late on and made almost a line of three jumping the last, before he stayed on powerfully to score by two and a half lengths.

The son of Yeats will now likely head hurdling for the summer, with Neilan stating: “We thought he was real nice early on and he just disappointed us a little bit.

“Good ground is key to him, I’d say we ran him a few times on soft and it didn’t work out. We might keep him going for the summer and hopefully run him in a hurdle race.”

The quick-fire double for the Tipperary rider was clinched in the mares’ winners’ of three contest aboard Sky Luna (4/1) in what was a special success for owner, trainer and breeder Patrick Morrissey as it was his first ever winner with what is his only horse in training.

The Snow Sky mare was in a line of three coming to the last, but dramatically the favourite Regards To Rose ran out, bringing the challenging Neat Locality with her.

That presented a golden opportunity to the eventual winner who returned 62 lengths clear of the only other runner Sarah Jane.

THE open lightweight contest saw Joanne Corish record her second career victory for her boss Cormac Doyle aboard Diese Du Bieffes (4/1).

Having been pulled up in several outings early this season on testing conditions, he produced an improved effort last week in Stradbally to finish sixth and continued his positive trajectory to run out an easy seven-length winner over El Paso Wood, and end the season on a positive note.

“Once he got his nose in front he was happy and he jumped like a stag,” Corish said of the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership-owned grey.

Better ground

“I can’t believe it, his form wasn’t great this season but I think the better ground today really suited him. He ran a good race in Stradbally last week only I got caught too far back.”

The seven-year-old and upwards maiden was divided and the opening split went the way of Coffey’s Forge (5/2 joint-favourite) under Adam Feeney for owner-breeder Patrick Ryan.

Having failed to finish outside of the first three in his last three outings, this son of Yeats gained a deserved victory, as having made all throughout, his good jumping had many of his rivals toiling in his wake on the long run to the last.

Feeney could remain motionless in the saddle as the pair returned 14 lengths clear of A Nice Malbec.

CONOR Bowman enjoyed a memorable afternoon when gaining a first career success abroad the Cian Collins-trained Calahill (4/1).

Having posted a fine third-placed effort at Necarne earlier in the month on his return from an absence that stretched back to October 2022, the Liam O’Farrell-owned son of Califet showed that he clearly still retains plenty of ability and enthusiasm for the game.

Always to the fore, he was never far off the pace and he showed a game battling attitude to stay on powerfully to defeat Dun Ar Aill by a head.

Handicapped on the track, connections indicated that it is likely that he run into the summer.

Horse to follow

Feet On The Ground (P. J. Kiely): This daughter of Westerner produced a good effort to be only beaten two lengths on her third start. With improvement sure to come over the summer months, she looks capable of winning a similar contest.