DARYL Jacob, who paid a successful visit to Roscommon earlier in the month, made his presence felt at another western venue as number one jockey to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede when Fan De Blues took the BoyleSports Chase.

The Willie Mullins inmate ran an excellent third in the Galway Blazers Handicap Chase last month and showed versatility in coming back in distance from just short of three miles to an extended two miles. This very useful seven-year-old produced a fine effort to account decisively for the 152-rated Cape Gentleman whom he was meeting on somewhat unattractive terms.

Cape Gentleman, a winner on the flat at Killarney last week, was returned at 1/3 to take advantage of a level-weights clash with his aforementioned opponent who is rated 11lb inferior to him on official figures.

Fan De Blues was just too strong from the front and forged clear from the second last to defeat Cape Gentleman by seven lengths.

“He’s a horse with a lot of experience and he stays very well and he’s a brilliant jumper. He did rush one or two of his fences today but when you need a good jump from him, he delivers,” stated the rider.

Royal result

The champion trainer supplied an odds-on newcomer in Little Soiree in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Race but she was upstaged by the 40/1 shot Royal Creek.

Owned and trained by Edmond Kent and a half-sister to two winners, this daughter of Getaway was giving jockey Adam Ryan (18) the second winner of his career just three days after he got off the mark at Killarney. Royal Creek struck for home inside the final quarter of a mile and bravely withstood the oncoming market leader by a nose.

“I love this filly and I told my friends to back her. She’ll come on a load from that run,” declared Kent. “The three horses I have in training were first, second and third here tonight, but staffing is a huge issue for me so I’ve to work hard at it. I’m up at five every morning and I work through the day because I’ve a lot of horses on the farm as well.”

Whacker wins

Henry de Bromhead’s Whacker Clan (4/1) came good on his second try over fences in the Corrib Oil Beginners Chase over just short of three miles which was confined to horses rated 116 or less over hurdles. In first-time cheekpieces, the Westerner six-year-old seized control of this race for Rachael Blackmore after the third last when scampering into a clear lead.

From this point on, Whacker Clan was able to uphold a useful advantage which saw him defeat the front-running Grangeclare Native by four and a quarter lengths.

NOEL Meade is maintaining a fine run of form on all fronts and here Sheishybrid bagged the featured Hollymount Nursing Home Handicap Hurdle over two and a quarter miles.

The daughter of Mastercraftsman came into this four-year-old only affair in fine heart having won a maiden hurdle at Cork at the start of the month before then filling the runner-up position in a Tramore handicap on the flat.

She raced on the pace for Bryan Cooper, got on top before the last and then surged clear in the straight to dish out a seven-and-a half-length beating to Faron. The 9/4 favourite carries the colours of the Rockmore Partnership.

“She will appreciate going further. She just lacks a gear so even without much experience, I was keen on making it a test. She hit the line well,” remarked Cooper.

Buckley bonanza

Kieren Buckley’s switch to Ireland is steadily gathering momentum and the rider notched up his fourth winner in 10 days aboard Ray Cody’s Benny The Duke in the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle over two and a quarter miles.

The evens favourite looked to have passed up a good opportunity when favourite for a maiden at Killarney the previous month, but he made no mistake this time.

He defeated the 111-rated Rodney Bay by just under five lengths and produced an appreciably better round of jumping than he did at Killarney.

IT was a night to savour for Derrylin-based trainer David Christie who left Ballinrobe with a double supplied by two breeder-owned mares.

The brace kicked off with Paidi’s Passion in the Paddy Smyth Memorial Mares Maiden Hurdle where she provided Sam Ewing with his first winner of the Irish National Hunt season.

This Sean Duke-owned daughter of Ocovango had previously finished half a length in front of Benny The Duke when second in a Roscommon maiden hurdle earlier in the month.

Paidi’s Passion (9/1) overhauled the game front-runner Queshi Bridge nearing the line for a half-length triumph.

“Both mares had run in points and they stay well and I targeted these races with them as the trip was ideal for them,” stated Christie. “This mare is really a summer mare. She stays and her jumping is very slick.”

The trainer then landed the first division of the 80-95 rated Burke Family Clonbur Memorial Handicap Hurdle with Menindee (4/1). The David Kells-owned and -bred six-year-old had endured narrow defeats on her last two starts so certainly wasn’t winning out of turn.

Jordan Gainford’s mount lost the lead after two out and dropped back to fourth but she launched a strong rally to go back into second before the final flight and then got back on top on the run-in to defeat Gondor by two lengths.

Dream result

The second division of that handicap hurdle provided trainer Jayne Hearne with her second success as Western Dreaming and Conor Brassil built on a good run behind He’s Leading Me On at Tramore.

On just his fourth start for the trainer, the well-supported 6/1 chance took control of this race coming away from the last and got to the line a neck ahead of the staying-on joint-favourite Chief Seattle.

THE stewards dished out a 10-day suspension to jockey Charlie O’Dwyer after he partnered the J.P. McManus-owned and Aidan Howard-trained Can’t Stop Smiling into third in the maiden hurdle won by Benny The Duke.

The 33/1 shot finished well to reach the placings and in the ensuing enquiry the jockey admitted that his ride was misjudged. The trainer’s explanation was noted and the horse was ultimately given a ban of 42 days.

Sam Ewing picked up a three-day whip ban after winning on Paidi’s Passion and Conor Brassil was hit with a four-day whip suspension for his efforts on Western Dreaming.