THE impressive early season form of the Ger Lyons string yielded a first pattern race success of the season for the trainer as Markaz Paname transitioned from his comeback victory in the Madrid Handicap to take Group 3 Hollywoodbets Gladness Stakes.

Three-year-olds were excluded from this race from 2004 through to 2013 but even so one had to go back to 2001 to find the last member of the classic generation to land this prize. However, this did not deter punters who made the Mary and Donal Boylan-owned gelding an even money favourite.

As is his wont, the Markaz gelding tanked through the race and he led over a furlong from home before getting home by half a length from stablemate Sh Boom who secured precious blacktype just three days after taking third in a fillies’ handicap at Gowran Park.

“He’s a bit switched on and a bit buzzy but that’s just him. This ground (yielding, good to yielding) is as quick as he wants so he could have the summer off and that’s why he ran back here,” stated Lyons. “Otherwise we could be looking at races like the Ballycorus for him and this is a good trip for him.

“I’m over the moon with Sh Boom and Gary said there could be one of these in her.”

The first two-year-old race of the season over six furlongs attracted an interesting group and could be an informative contest with a number of horses shaping up well.

Foremost among those was the Lyons-trained Tough Talk (5/2) who produced a nice effort to edge out the favourite and fellow newcomer Little Brown Bear.

This pair pulled away in the closing stages of the Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Maiden with Colin Keane getting up the Moyglare Stud-owned son of Kingman in the final stride to score by a short head with two and three-quarter lengths back to Shartash who also shaped up well in third.

“He’s a nice colt who we’ve always liked. It’s his first time away and first time on grass and there should be plenty of improvement in him. We’ll keep it local and let him tell us where and when we’ll start him back,” stated Lyons.

Strong Meditate

After striking with his first two-year-old runner of the year at Dundalk the previous Friday, Aidan O’Brien followed up with another nice type as Meditate (9/4) impressed under Ryan Moore in the All Aboard The Manguard Plus Bus To The Curragh Races Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.

The daughter of No Nay Never produced a professional display as she tanked through the race on the pace before surging clear over the last furlong and a half to win by three and a quarter lengths.

The runner-up spot went to Drunk In Love who again forfeited valuable ground upon leaving stalls by giving a buck or two which left her on the backfoot from the outset. She clearly possesses a good deal of talent.

“We felt she’d have no problem going six furlongs but the five was fine for her there and Ryan said she was very strong at the line,” remarked O’Brien.

“She could be an Ascot filly, she has all that quality, and we’ll look at going on to Naas next month for the Group 3 Coolmore Stud EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes.”

NOEL Meade looks to have another middle-distance force on his hands in Layfayette who followed up last month’s listed victory at Naas by landing the Group 3 Hollywoodbets Alleged Stakes.

Oisin Orr took his time on the Patricia Hunt-owned five-year-old who looked on from last for much of the race and Layfayette still had plenty to do early in the straight.

He soon started to gather in one rival after another though and his sweeping charge carried him to a one-and-a-quarter-length success. One time classic hopeful High Definition made a heartening start to his season by taking second ahead of Bear Story and Meade’s Helvic Dream ran well in fifth on his first run since landing the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

“He worked so well the other day I felt I had to run him. He’s been in fantastic form all spring and Oisin felt there might be more to come over a mile and a half,” stated Meade. “I’d say both the winner and Helvic Dream could be back here for the Mooresbridge Stakes early next month.”

Willie McCreery could well have a premier handicap-class sprinter on his hands in Stag Night (11/1) who defeated a decent and seasoned field in the Hollywoodbets Daily Boosts Handicap over six furlongs.

Off the track since July and making his handicap debut off a mark of 90, the four-year-old faced quite a test under Nathan Crosse. He came with quite a charge over the last furlong and a half to edge out Nordic Passage by a head.

“He’s still a big shell of a horse but he loves nice ground. I think we will look at some of those big handicaps in the summer with him,” declared McCreery whose wife Amanda owns the winner.

Another trainer with a nice type on his hands is Andy Oliver whose Glory Daze (9/2) made a successful return in the TRI Equestrian Irish EBF Maiden over 10 furlongs. The Cotai Glory colt showed plenty of promise in a three-race campaign last year.

Gary Carroll’s mount was going sufficiently well to hold in the odds-on Waterville approaching the last furlong and then quickly stamped his authority on the race to dish out a three-and-a-quarter-length beating to the front-running Cougar.

Waterville kept on steadily when getting into the clear to lie a further one and three-quarter lengths away in third.

“He’s a very big horse and he showed a lot of promise last year. He’s improved over the winter and we expected him to go well but we thought he might need the run. He’s still got a lot to learn, Gary said he still rode green,” declared Oliver.

IT was a landmark afternoon for 29-year-old trainer John O’Donoghue as he registered the first success of his career when the Chris Hayes-ridden Cailin Cliste (25/1) bagged the Hollywoodbets-sponsored 47-65 rated six-furlong handicap.

After spending six years based in England which culminated in a spell as assistant to Roger Varian, O’Donoghue has taken up residence at Currabeg Stables from which John Oxx sent out so many great champions of Irish racing. The legendary trainer was the first to congratulate O’Donoghue after the York Thoroughbred Racing-owned filly saw off Let’s Believe by three-quarters of a length.

“It was always something that we wanted to do (train in Ireland) and the opportunity to move into Currabeg came up and we took it with both hands,” remarked the trainer. “We don’t have a whole pile of older horses, it would be dominated by two-year-olds so we are looking forward to the summer. We’ve got 23 in training with a couple of more to come in.

“John (Oxx) was the first man to congratulate me. His advice is incredible and to have him looking over your shoulder is a huge plus.”

Joyous result

Chris Hayes was also successful on the well-backed Joyous Moment who got up to record an improbable success in the Alkumait Standing At Castlefield Stud With €100,000 Bonus Irish EBF Maiden to reward those that backed her from 28/1 on track into 12/1.

As she looked to build on a midfield finish on her debut here last October, she was forced to challenge widest of all and still had half the field to pass with over a furlong to run.

She finished out her race in great style though and got up to nail the 76-rated New York Dreams on the line. Jack Davison trains the winner for her breeder, Brian Dolan.