THE Banger Doyle (11/4 favourite) continues to reward the Nicholson family’s patient approach, as the home-bred landed Cork’s featured €45,000 Co-Op Superstores Handicap Chase on Sunday, with a fortunate success for trainer John Queally and jockey Michael O’Sullivan.

Front-running Dollar Value held a clear lead for most of the two miles, one furlong trip and, while his lead had been reduced to a length by The Banger Doyle approaching the last, the leader fell at that final obstacle, leaving the winner to coast home by 12 lengths, from Calico.

Owner/breeder John Nicholson, himself a retired trainer said: “My father bought into this pedigree with The Banger Doyle’s great grandam Oh Jemima in the 1980s and I still have the family.

“It is a great family and his half-brother Sebastopol won a Grade 3 in America the other night. The Banger Doyle’s dam is in-foal at present and I have a filly out of her who was due to go to the sales, but that might change now!”

Trainer Queally added: “I think we were a bit fortunate, but having said that, he deserved his day in the sun, as he had been ultra-consistent and finished second in three flat races this year.

“There might be one more race for him if the ground stays good, but his time of year is coming to an end.”

Valuable bonuses

Next most valuable race was the Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle, which saw Thisistheway (4/1) collect valuable bonuses following her success, for trainer Yvonne Latta and jockey James O’Sullivan.

Racing prominently throughout, the Doyen mare scored by a half-length from Keep Kool Coko.

Latta’s son Andrew Latta later reported: “We initially sent her to the sales with these auction races in mind and nobody really took an interest as she was a box-walker, so we bought her back (for €2,000).

“She has now won two bonuses, the first was worth €7,550 for her bumper win, another €5,000 today along with a €10,000 sales bonus voucher, while she has also won €21,100 in prize money. This is a great series for the lesser horses.”

He added: “Listowel had been the plan, as we were hoping to run her on safe ground, but she had a bad prep and needed a run there, to come here for today’s race, which suited better as it was over two miles and four furlongs.”

“She isn’t good enough for graded hurdles, but we’ll look for rated novices or handicaps and work back from the Series Final (at the Punchestown festival).”

RACING began with the Mallow 3YO Maiden Hurdle, which saw the Jessica Harrington-trained, Alpha Racing-owned Cruden make a winning jumps debut under jockey Donagh Meyler.

A flat maiden winner in May, Cruden today came out best in a close finish, defeating Star Runner by a head with eye-catching Janes Harbour finishing a neck further away in third.

Afterwards, Meyler reported: “My horse had a look around in front more than anything and I rode with hands and heels plenty far enough away from the winning line. He got there well and was very professional throughout. I thought I was holding the runner-up all the way to the line.

“We had gone a nice honest gallop and it turned into a nice race and being my horse’s first time running over hurdles, hopefully can go on now and win again.”

The other hurdle race on the card, the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice, was won by the Willie Mullins-trained, Roger Brookhourse-owned and bred Luckinthecity (4/1), which scored by a short-head from Millforce, whose rider dropped his whip after the second-last.

Townend reported: “The ground is as quick as any jump horse wants it but he handled it, although his jumping was in-and-out as he lost respect for the (new rubber) hurdles from before halfway.

“It was a tough performance and I think the step up in trip brought about the improvement.”

Gibney on mark as Remy Martin tastes success

DUAL Irish Grand National-winning trainer Tom Gibney was on the mark in the Buy Tickets Online Rated Novice Chase, as Ah Remy Martin (2/1 favourite) made a winning fences debut under jockey Darragh O’Keeffe.

The Haigney Bloodstock Ltd-owned six-year-old was strongly pressed by Sea Road Fill in the closing stages, but held on well to score by a half-length.

Gibney reported: “That was lovely and I suppose opportunities like that don’t come along that often and the race couldn’t have been more suitable. You still have to go and do it though, and he jumped well.

“I thought he might get done for a bit of toe at the back of the last after meeting that fence on a backward stride, but I loved the way he came back and put his head in front.

“He is on the go a long while, so a break could be on the cards: if the ground stays good, we might go once more but other than that, we will leave him off.”

Fourth win

Hand Over Fist (4/1) and jockey Mike O’Connor combined successfully for the fourth time together, as the pair landed the Follow Us On Social Media Handicap Chase for trainer Henry de Bromhead and owner Denis Howard.

A faller last-time-out at Downpatrick in September, the son of Red Dubawi today initially raced prominently and, while dropping behind the leaders at the fourth-last, rallied well to lead at the last and scored by three and a quarter lengths from Hascoeur Clermont.

O’Connor commented: “He deserved that, as he is a gallant little horse and tries every day.

Jumped super

“I made much of the running and we went a good gallop, but I had to sit off the two horses who got into a little race of their own going down the back straight. He jumped super today and put his head down where it mattered.”

Racing concluded with the Racing Again November 3 Bumper with the John and Tommy Kiely-trained, Flynn family’s Meitheal justifying 2/7 favouritism under jockey John Gleeson.

Afterwards, John Kiely reported: “She had to battle and she did. We might now wait for the Listed bumper in Navan, as she has a good pedigree: she will jump in her own time.” The rider was losing his 5lb claim and is now down to 3lb.