IT paid to be up with the pace on the first of two days at Bellewstown, with all eight winners racing prominently throughout. Colin Keane took riding honours with a double, making every yard of the running aboard Sweetest Rose (8/1) in the Peadar Kearney’s Pub Handicap.

Trained by Ger Lyons and making her debut in handicap company, the Dark Angel bay kicked a few lengths clear over a furlong out and while her advantage was reduced in the closing stages, she ultimately held off One Boss by a neck. “We’re delighted to get another win for Annette O’Callaghan,” assistant trainer Shane Lyons commented. “The secret with her is to go around bends and good ground. If we got good ground in Listowel that would be another ideal track for her, as she has won there before.”

Keane broke new ground when guiding Night Glow to victory in the Gibneys Gormanston Fillies Maiden, successfully teaming-up with Willie McCreery for the first time. Owned and bred by the Niarchos family, the twice-raced 15/2 chance was settled behind the leaders, coming with her challenge between horses from the two-furlong pole. Soon in front, she kept on well when ridden inside the final furlong, holding off the late surge of Alalcance by a short head.

“Colin said she is only learning her trade and she’ll improve a lot from that,” McCreery enthused. “That’s Colin’s first winner for me and with Billy (Lee) suspended, I had to use him when he was available.”

Serious price

As was the case in the previously mentioned races, Shane Foley and Jessica Harrington again had to settle for second in the Dolly’s Bar & Pantry Handicap. While he finished with a flourish, Polar Bear (11/2) couldn’t reel-in the front-running Charming Lady, with just a nose between them at the line.

Sent off the outsider of the field at 20/1 under James Ryan, the Tom McCourt-trained victor was recording her third career success on what was her eleventh start. Owned by his daughter Denise and Elaine Shevlin, McCourt said of the Charm Spirit-bay: “I thought she was a serious price, she had been working well. “She’s entered at Navan on Saturday but at the minute she is out of the handicap, so we’ll probably look for something a bit easier.”

THE Darren Bunyan-trained Buddy Batt claimed the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden and in what was a memorable result for the Curragh handler, he also saddled the second and fourth. Settled behind the leaders by Dean Curran, the 11/2 chance was ridden from the furlong pole and soon shot to the front, going on to account for stable companion Janzoor (11/10 favourite) by a length and a half.

Owned by his brother Brian, Bunyan said of the chestnut victor: “We would have been disappointed if he didn’t win to tell you the truth.” He then added: “You’d have to be delighted with the three of them and we knew they would all be competitive. We were only pipped for the one-two-three.”

Multiple representatives also paid dividends for John McConnell, with his Smaoineamh Sile landing the first divide of the Gibneys Malahide Handicap. The local handler saddled four of the 15 in this extended seven-furlong heat, with the Peter Commane-owned victor sent off a 9/2 chance under Jamie Powell. Sent to the front on the approach to halfway, the Pride Of Dubai chestnut went a few lengths clear from the two-furlong pole and kept up the gallop when ridden in the closing stages, holding off the effort of Indiana Grey by half a length.

“She deserved it, she ran well the last day but probably got harried a bit in front then and didn’t quite get home, so we dropped her back in trip,” McConnell explained. “She is what she is, but is competitive at her rating and hopefully she can go again.”

First success

The second divide of this 47-65 contest went the way of Jazz Dreamers, who was recording his first success in just over two years. Placed six-times in the interim, the Seamus Fahey-trained five-year-old certainly wasn’t winning out of turn and was sent to post a 5/1 chance (10s early) in the colours of Helen Butler.

Never far from the pace under Robert Whearty and ridden to the front with less than two furlongs to go, the Red Jazz five-year-old battled gamely in the closing stages to hold off the effort of Rampage by a neck. “He had a few issues early on but seems to have outgrown them and he’s back where he was,” Fahey reported.

DARTAN (10/3) successfully completed the first of two Bellewstown assignments, as he saw off 12 rivals in the concluding Ploughman Bar & Grill (Q.R.) Handicap. Fitted with cheekpieces for the first time, the likeable Matthew Smith-trained six-year-old raced in a share of the lead under Derek O’Connor, gaining an outright advantage with three furlongs to go. The Killian McDonnell-owned grey kept up the gallop when ridden and comfortably held off the late effort of Barnacullia (2/1 favourite) by half a length.

“The ground went against him in Galway but he got his ground today,” Smith remarked. “I thought it was a great performance off that weight, he was giving plenty of weight away. He’s declared tomorrow over hurdles and if he’s alright, he’ll probably come back, I don’t see why not.”

Woodcock Flight (8/1) was yet another to benefit from a front-running ride, as he made the breakthrough on his 11th start in the opening Tynan’s Bridge House Bar Irish EBF Median Auction Maiden. Owned, trained and bred by Kevin Prendergast, the Awtaad gelding had all his rivals in trouble from the two-furlong pole and he soon established a healthy advantage, coming home over four lengths to the good.

“I go into Mr Prendergast every Saturday and I’ve been riding this horse in his work. He was in good form recently,” winning rider Scott McCullagh divulged. “He has a mind of his own, but the visor has helped. The track suited, he hit the line well and did it easy.”