THE admirable Anna Bunina landed another good prize for John McConnell as she returned to peak form in the €45,000 Bar One Racing Bellewstown Handicap Hurdle but whether this will pave the way for a Galway Hurdle assault looks doubtful at this stage.

This year’s Scottish Champion Hurdle heroine and also successful in a Killarney listed race two months ago, needed to bounce back from a surprise defeat at Down Royal last time but did so in fine style under Shane Fitzgerald. The very well backed 9/2 favourite was always well placed and then took charge of this race from the second last for a convincing four-and-a-half-length success over Hidden Land.

McConnell, who trains the winner for Caroline Ahearn, remarked afterwards: “She is much better going left-handed, but we were only running her because the owner was back from America. With the top weight we were going ‘oh god’ but she was really good and Shane gave her a peach of a ride. She is much better going this way around, so I wouldn’t be that keen on Galway.”

Fitzgerald double

Shane Fitzgerald was also successful on the Colm Murphy-trained Elle Perfecta (12/1) in the Bar One-sponsored mares’ maiden hurdle.

The Murphys Law Syndicate-owned six-year-old was running for the first time since belying odds of 100/1 to reach the frame in a maiden hurdle at Cork last August. She certainly confirmed the promise shown on that second outing as she looked to have everything covered from early in the straight before taking command on the run to the last to score by six and a half lengths.

There could easily be more to come from this lightly raced type.

PRAIRIE Dancer got the evening off to a bright start for punters as he justified 5/6 favouritism in the Bar One Racing Quick Deposit Novice Hurdle for four-year-olds.

Joseph O’Brien’s charge, who has now won three of his last four starts over timber, lined up off a wide-margin Ballinrobe success over Douglas Dc, but the latter got a good deal closer this time. Indeed the outcome was hanging in the balance from the last onwards, but the Sean Sweeney and Kieran O’Hare-owned son of Territories just prevailed for J.J. Slevin.

“He’s a right horse. He has danced every dance and been to Cheltenham and that was a good performance. He has Galway coming up and I’m sure Joseph has options for him under both codes,” stated the winning rider.

First for O’Brien

Jockey Patrick O’Brien (20) enjoyed a night to remember as he rode the first winner of his career aboard Pat Downey’s Penny Jar (17/2) in the first division of the 80-95 rated Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles. The Kevin Heaney-owned gelding was running for the first time since November as he went in search of the first placing of his career and he turned in a nice effort.

He winged the last flight and finished out strongly to pull four and three-quarter lengths clear of his rivals.

The other divide of that race went to Mark Fahey and Mark McDonagh as Inforapenny struck at 11/4.

A dual runner-up last season and placed at Roscommon last time, the six-year-old deserved to get his turn and he did so by getting the better of a great tussle with Well Joey. The battle between the front two ebbed and flowed from two out before Inforapenny, who is owned by his breeder Pat McCarthy, got on top late on.

That Friday feeling

GORDON Elliott added to his flat success on the opening night of the Festival by sending out a double when the focus switched to National Hunt and the trainer’s brace began with The Friday Man in the Bar One-sponsored maiden hurdle over two miles.

The Michael Hanrahan-owned five-year-old, who gave Lisa O’Neill her final winner in a Tramore bumper last month, made a mistake at the first and found himself towards the rear of the field. From before the third last he scythed through the pack though and then kept on strongly from the last to carry the day by half a dozen lengths. There could easily be more to come from him as he steps up in trip.

Country Queen brought up the double in the Bar One Racing-sponsored winners’ bumper where she defeated a field that contained several last-time-out scorers.

Invaluable

Harry Swan’s invaluable 7lbs claim coupled with the five-year-old’s mares’ allowance meant that Country Queen (13/2) was getting quite a weight concession from her rivals. However, the daughter of Yeats almost gave the race away when veering dramatically left with around a furlong to run, to the point where she almost went off the track.

Swan kept the partnership intact though and the pair righted themselves to finish three lengths clear of Uncle Phil. The winner carries the colours of the Keep Smiling Syndicate.

A Bellewstown without a Gavin Cromwell winner would have been almost unthinkable and the trainer struck in the penultimate event of the meeting as Hascoeur Clermont justified some good support in the Bar One Racing Bet In-Play Handicap Hurdle over three miles.

The five-year-old had struggled to make an telling impact on his first six outings, but it was all change here as he was backed from 14/1 into 15/2. Donagh Meyler produced him to lead approaching the final flight and he kept on well to defeat the 100/1 chance Important Message by two and a quarter lengths.

“He’s a different horse on this nice ground and hopefully he’ll have a future over this type of trip,” reported Cromwell.