CLONMEL’S featured Grade 3 Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle attracted just three runners and boiled down to Cheltenham-bound Ballybow (5/6 favourite) winning the arm-wrestle with Ballygunner Castle (1/1).

Gigginstown House Stud’s Ballybow was rated just 1lb below Ballygunner Castle’s 129 rating and little also separated the pair in the market, as the winner made all and battled well to hold on for a half-length success.

Outsider Kalnoo was always last and ploughed on to collect €3,500 prize money, with the 80-rated mare also attaining a dubious blacktype placing.

Afterwards, winning trainer Gordon Elliott said “to be honest, if I was Sam (Ewing, winning jockey), I’d have followed Ballygunner Castle instead of him following us, and pushed him along. They went no gallop though and it was a no-race really, but that’s why he is riding them.

“We’ll go for the Albert Bartlett now. I think the race could suit him, and he could have an each-way chance in a race like that, with a lead, coming at a few horses.”

Owners double

Owners Gigginstown had earlier landed the opening Surehaul Race Day (Mares) Maiden Hurdle with the Willie Mullins-trained Karamoja (6/4 favourite), under jockey Paul Townend.

The Masked Marvel mare had previously pulled up during Christmas and this time showed her better previous form, when scoring by one and a half lengths.

There was an unfortunate post-script to the race, as runner-up Whatsupnellie took a false step after passing the winning line, and suffered a fatal injury.

Regarding Karamoja, Townend mentioned “we put a line through her last run, so today’s run would mean that she came on from here (in early December).

“I think with more racing, she will settle, as she is still quite saucy today. Once she settles down, she’ll be fine.

“You’d hope she will progress away and she will be learning as she goes.”

RIDING honours went to 7lb claiming amateur jockey Dara McGill, who registered a double, beginning with a well-received win in the Minorstown Handicap Hurdle on his father Gary McGill’s Apologise (9/2).

Hat-trick-completing Apologise had previously won at Huntingdon in 2023 and at Limerick last Christmas and on Thursday went clear on the run-in to comfortably beat The Dawn.

Trainer McGill was leading up the winner and, afterwards, his son jockey Dara said: “Myself and my father went over to Doncaster and picked him out. He had his problems, but if he keeps going the right way, you’d like to think he can continue to give the boys some more fun.

“The lads (Oakleaf Lads Syndicate) are from a bar in Maghera back at home and to get 14 or 15 of them here today is brilliant. He has given them two good days out and owes us nothing at this stage.”

Brilliant jumper

McGill later completed his double in the Monksgrange Beginners Chase on My Gaffer (8/1 for owner Walter O’Connor), scoring on his first ride for trainer John Ryan.

Templemore-based Ryan later commented: “I was looking for a claimer and, after he won a point-to-point last Sunday, Tom Keating (winning point-to-point handler) texted me on his number. He gave the horse a great ride.”

He added: “The horse promised a lot and, when we put him in big handicaps, he got crowded out as he is small, but he is a brilliant little jumper. While he won’t be going to Cheltenham or anything, he could be a summer national-type of horse.”

Family affair

Father and son, trainer Tom and jockey Charlie Mullins combined to win the Kilmolash (QR) Handicap Hurdle (div II) with Mount Shenshan (12/1).

Initially held up in rear, Mount Shenshan was patiently ridden and gradually improved to lead at the final flight, before beating Chainofconsequence by two and a half lengths, to give Charlie a first success in 12 months.

Delighted Mullins senior stated: “Charlie is a big fella, so lucky to be riding at all due to his weight. When I got him to win his first bumper, I thought that was my job done, as I thought he wouldn’t be riding any further, but he was bitten by the bug and keeps at it.”

LUMINOUS Light (7/1) gave trainer Anthony McCann his first career chase winner, as the gelding provided jockey Sean Flanagan and the Good Counsellors Syndicate with a fitting success, in the SIS Supporting Irish Racing Novice Handicap Chase.

The winner arrived from mid-field to eventually lead close home, to beat Natural Breeze by a neck.

McCann later revealed: “After 10 years training, that’s my first chase winner. He blew up twice the last day he ran in Fairyhouse and we knew we had him proper right for today.

“It is brilliant for Aidan O’Brien, who is the head of the syndicate and is principal of the school (Good Counsel College) where Sean Flanagan and many other racing people attended. They have stuck by me, so I’m delighted for them.”

Gone like the wind

Trainer Philip Rothwell’s Ar Nos Na Gaoithe (17/2) had earlier gained a maiden success in the opening division of the race, as the mare scored under jockey Phidelma Elvin.

Rothwell reported “the filly and the owner Noel Keena deserve it hugely. It is very much a family syndicate and what an amazing family from Wicklow they are.

“This is a small summery little mare, who runs her heart out every day. I told the owners that I didn’t know which day she would win, but that we’ll just have to keep trying and she’d get her day.”

Hot streak

Trainer Gavin Cromwell and jockey Keith Donoghue continued their good spell, landing the Derrygrath Maiden Hurdle with 123-rated Addragoole (13/8 favourite, for the Addragoole Partnership).

Donoghue later commented: “He had the rating to do that and had been very consistent prior to disappointing at Leopardstown. He was then going to run a nice race, when he fell at the last behind a good horse of Willie’s (Mullins). He’ll make a nice chaser.”

Connections of Mount Ferns incurred penalties for the running-and-riding of the gelding in the two-mile handicap chase, with fines of €6,000 handed down, the horse being suspended for 90 days and jockey Conor McNamara being suspended for 40 race days. See page 5.