CHARLIE Luciano (11/2), trained by Noel Meade for owner Franny Carragher, made virtually all to land the featured Hollymount Nursing Home Handicap Hurdle at Ballinrobe on Monday evening.

Recording his fourth win over flights, the Neil Ryan-ridden gelding was strongly pressed by Calico in the closing stages but battled on gamely under pressure to prevail by a neck.

“He likes making the running and he jumps fluently, although maybe a small bit left, in front,” said Ryan. “I thought the ground might have been on the slow side for him, but he seemed to handle it. He’s a horse that wants further, I think ‘two-two’ is just as sharp as he’d want it.”

Visionarian, sent off 8/11 favourite, outclassed his three rivals in the Boylesports Chase as he put in an exhibition of jumping under Keith Donoghue.

The Galway Plate fifth led from the second-last to beat Effernock Fizz by two and a half lengths.

“I spotted this race and said I’d put him in and see what was going to turn up,” said Peter Fahey of Basil Holian’s eight-year-old. “If I could find a nice two-and-a-half mile handicap I’d be tempted to go back over hurdles with him.

“He nearly got home in the Plate and could be a horse for something like the Topham next year. He’s not a winter ground horse or a three-mile horse.”

The well supported Bella Bliss (3/1, from 10s in the morning) made a winning debut over fences in the Corrib Oil Beginners Chase.

Settled behind the leaders by Alex Harvey, the daughter of Getaway moved up to challenge at the third-last and was soon in front before staying on well to see off Junior Rattler by four lengths.

The six-year-old, a three-time winner over hurdles, is trained by John McConnell for Claire Wylie and Mark Devlin.

“For a mare first time in a beginners’, she was like a handicapper there, she jumped and travelled,” said Harvey. “She’d schooled brilliantly last week and John thought she’d take a lot of beating.”

THE in-form trainer Philip Rothwell teamed up with James O’Sullivan to record a double, the first leg of which was 9/4 favourite Quarry Rocco who overcame some trouble in running to take the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle.

Fourth on hurdling debut at Galway, Oliver Barden’s five-year-old victor was short of room on the inner away from two out but came through between horses after the last to beat Silver King by a length and a quarter. Diarmuid Moloney, who rode Tomas O Maille to finish third, received a six-day suspension for using his whip with excessive frequency.

Rothwell explained: “He’s still fairly green and I just thought we’d keep him at this sort of trip around a tighter track until he really learned to settle properly.

“I put James on him today because I think he’s exceptionally good over an obstacle and he jumped brilliant with him the whole way.”

O’Sullivan later made all the running on Deons Diamond (18/1) in the Paddy Smyth Memorial Mares Maiden Hurdle and sauntered to a very easy six-and-a-half length success over Amazing Amy.

“She mightn’t be the biggest in the world but she jumps well and is very tough,” Rothwell commented. “Tom Doran, who’s a great supporter of mine, put together the Erris Coast Syndicate. They’re relatives and friends of his from the Erris Coast Hotel, just north of here.

“The lads at home in the yard all thought she’d run really well. She was 33/1 this morning which I couldn’t understand as she was second in a four-year-old maiden point-to-point. I’d have been horrified if she wasn’t in the first four.”

Willie and Patrick Mullins combined to land yet another bumper as 8/13 favourite Baby Kate came late to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Flat Race.

The daughter of unbeaten bumper performer and classy hurdler Augusta Kate was ridden in fourth a furlong out and gave her supporters a few anxious moments before picking up well in the short straight to collar Switch From Diesel for a one-length success.

“It very much turned into a sprint,” said the winning rider. “It just took her a while to get organised but I was always happy that I was going to get there.

“She’s very like her mother, a little wider than her, and I think she’ll improve a lot from that and will be able to go out in trip. Kevin Doyle (ex-footballer) bred her and leased her to the lads (Gorm Agus Ban Syndicate) who are from Old Leighlin Gaels GAA Club which is local to us.”

ERIC McNamara and jockey son Conor also combined for a double on the card, landing both divisions of the On-Course Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.

On his first start since April, 10/3 favourite Storm Mahler carried the colours of Michael Hannon to success in the first divide, leading on the run-in to beat Port Rashid by a length.

“We gave him a break and we were anxious to get him back for this time of year. I was just afraid that he might need the run a small bit but at home he seemed to be fit and well and in great shape,” the winning handler said. “I’m delighted with him and he’ll head to Listowel for a three-mile handicap hurdle.”

Reserve My Friend The Wind was a 12/1 winner of the second split of that two-mile-six-furlong handicap, coming from off the pace to lead after the second-last and staying on well to defeat Miss Laura by two and a half lengths. Conor McNamara said: “I was hoping he’d run well, he’s definitely a horse that runs better fresh. He’s just a hard horse to know what day to catch him on.

“Dad had the two horses fit, well and ready. I suppose we had the view of coming here today and then going on to Listowel.

“Sean Curran (winning owner) is a very nice man who had Faltering Fullback with us and it would be nice to get another winner at Listowel for him.”