DAVY Russell completed a Cork treble last Sunday as the three-time champion jockey combined with trainer Gordon Elliott to win with hurdlers Irish Point, Itswhatunitesus and Riann.

The pair landed the opening Buy Tickets At corkracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle with Robcour’s French import, and Grade 1 bumper winner, Irish Point (2/7 favourite) which won well from Splashing Out.

Elliott was at Punchestown, where he bagged another two winners, and at Cork his assistant Lisa O’Neill said: “He did it very well and obviously had form on heavy ground in France. He did it really professionally and Davy is very happy with him.

“There is plenty to improve on and it is his first run in a while so he’ll improve mentally and physically for it. You’d have to be impressed with it.”

Half an hour later Itswhatunitesus (an even-money second-favourite, for owners Alymer Stud) followed up by winning the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle from 5/6 favourite Embassy Gardens.

The son of Walk In The Park had the benefit of a previous hurdle outing at Galway last month and after today’s success O’Neill said: “Davy said he has learned a lot from his run at Galway, he can be quite keen at times but Davy gave him a peach.

“He didn’t get things easy in front and obviously the Willie Mullins horse (Embassy Gardens) wasn’t going to let him go. He is a big immature type but Davy gets on well with him and I think that will do his confidence the world of good.”

Treble completed

Russell completed his treble in the Follow Us On Social Media Handicap Hurdle on Riaan (7/2 favourite), which scored for the jockey’s old ally, owner Philip Reynolds.

The son of Diamond King won readily, after which Russell commented: “I’m part of a huge team, Gordon makes my life very easy and we have been together for a long time. I’ve a lot of people to thank who have helped me along the way, including my wife and there are other people like physios also. I need all the help I can get at this stage and a lot of owners were also there for me.”

Big win for Tyner’s Debates

THE most valuable race of the day at Cork was the concluding €23,000 Kevin McManus Bookmaker Handicap Chase, which was won by the Robert Tyner-trained, Philip Enright-partnered Big Debates (5/1) for owner Maurice Kelleher.

Enright produced the nine-year-old from rear of mid-division to eventually score by a head from Embittered.

Kinsale-based Tyner had indicated his intention to retire earlier in the year but following today’s success, reported: “We are keeping going with 10 or 12 horses and some of them are point-to-pointers. There were a few not sold and I said I’d keep going with a few ourselves.

“You wouldn’t know how long we’d stay going but it will be with small numbers, only what we can do ourselves.”

“When we announced last year that we were packing up training, I offered him to a lot of trainers in England but no one wanted him - I don’t know why, maybe it was his age but I told them he’d win nice races, even over hurdles. Philip gave him a great ride no doubt and thinks he should stick to to two and a half miles.”

Handicap debut

The biggest-priced winner was top-weight Ney (25/1) in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle, which scored on handicap debut for trainer Prunella Dobbs and jockey Kieren Buckley.

The four-year-old race with the leaders and scored comfortably by six lengths from Ventnor.

Dobbs later said: “I trained his dam (Gallope) who was a very good racemare and was a character. It is wonderful to breed from her and get a really nice horse.

“He is owned by Charlie O’Reilly who can’t be here today, which is pity as he is such an enthusiast. “Charlie really wants to go jumping fences and we will, but will stay hurdling for now. He won well, is a very genuine decent jumper and is a just a decent horse. It’s lovely to have a horse like that.”

Dinoblue and Luke Dempsey make a dynamic duo

CHAMPION Trainer Willie Mullins was at Punchestown, where he recorded a double and at Cork his J.P. McManus-owned Dinoblue (8/15 favourite) provided jockey Luke Dempsey with a notable success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase.

Dempsey’s only previous winner for Mullins was in the 2015 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Hurdle, at the Cheltenham Festival, on Killultagh Vic and following today’s second success stated: “It is always nice riding any good horse and is grand to be getting the opportunities. J.P. has been very good to me over the years so it is great to ride winners for him.

“She (Dinoblue) was very good, maybe a little brave early on but she warmed into it she was very good. She has done it nicely and picked up nicely from the back of the third last. She has plenty scope and for a big mare she can get in tight too.”

Dramatic win

Jockey Shane Fitzgerald returned from injury riding his first winner since July when steering Monishter Are Mwee (7/2) to a dramatic win in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Beginners Chase, for one-horse trainer Jane Hearne.

Monishter Are Mwee moved into contention from the second-last but ‘ran down’ the final fence, jumping badly right and surrendered her lead. However, she rallied well on the run-in to edge past runner-up Salmanino close home.

Fitzgerald said: “I fractured my C7 vertebra and did ligament damage to my T1 And T2 in a fall here last August so it was a long road back. I came back racing 10 days ago and it is great to be back in the winner’s enclosure for sure.”

Trainer Hearne added: “Monishter Are Mwee is my only horse in training at the moment and I have great help from a neighbouring trainer Margaret Flynn, who is invaluable to me.

“We go to Curramore gallop three or four times a week and she brings horses to tow me along. She will improve some amount and will go to Limerick at Christmas for a Grade 2 mares’ chase.”