WILLIE Browne’s Billboa brought up a hat-trick of wins in a competitive renewal of The 361 Days To The Supreme BetVictor Handicap over five furlongs last Friday.

The Tracey Kearney-owned gelding was well backed down to 5/4 favourite and was ridden to the front a furlong out by Declan McDonogh. The pair were soon strongly pressed by Inishmot Prince, who came with his customary late surge, but they kept on best to score by a head.

“We might look at something there in Newcastle (All Weather Finals Day), maybe there would be something there for him,” said Browne. “He might not be highly rated enough.”

When asked if it was the horse or trainer responsible for the improvement, he replied: “It must be the horse, it can’t be the trainer as the trainer was 78 the other day!”

All the money was for She’s Quality in The Best Odds Guaranteed At BetVictor Race, but she weakened as Jakajaro made the best way home in the final furlong.

Genesis kept Jakajaro honest in the closing stages, but Luke McAteer guided him home by a neck at 7/2 for MRC International.

Trainer David Marnane said: “This horse was gelded last year. He had run some fabulous races and he has a lot of speed and is a very good horse. He travels very easily and doesn’t do a lot when he gets there. You could see that today halfway up the straight.

“There’s a nice Group 3 in Ascot in early May for him and there’s a race in Navan for him. We’ll pick our spot and have a think about it.”

Coleman’s Star denies big gamble

KEVIN Coleman’s Victory Star sprang an 18/1 surprise in The Gateway Hotel Race & Stay Claiming Race for the Racing Nation Syndicate.

The seven-year-old gelding, trained by Kevin Coleman, raced prominently and was sent on a quarter of a mile from home by Seamie Heffernan. He stayed on well to come in by a length and a quarter.

Coleman was on lead-up duties and Heffernan said: “He had a good run here on his penultimate start and I rode him a bit of work and he felt fine.”

The runner-up, Jaafel, was the subject of a remarkable gamble from an opening show of 9/1 down to even-money favourite. His jockey, Sean Davis, was suspended for nine race days after being found in breach of whip rules governing frequency and time to respond.

Jaafel and Victory Star were claimed by Cathal Byrnes to be trained by Charles Byrnes, while third-placed Pierre Lapin was claimed by Miss C.M. Mills to be trained by Jarlath P Fahey

Joey Sheridan got the fractions right on front-running Walhaan (7/2) in The Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap over a mile and a quarter.

The grey son of Dark Angel moved clear inside the final two furlongs and had enough in the tank to repel even-money favourite Emeric by half a length at the winning post.

After he delivered for the Ask Dot Syndicate, trainer Ciaran Murphy said: “We hope to go to Lingfield on Good Friday with him now, that’s the plan if he gets in. This was a pipe-opener for that.”

Princess Rabab (10/1) took the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap by three-quarters of a length for Joseph O’Brien and the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate.

This was her handicap debut and she showed that she has a future in them as she stuck to her task well once getting to the lead inside the final furlong.

After Dylan Browne McMonagle steered her home by three-quarters of a length, stable representative Sean Corby said: “It looked like the step up in trip (to a mile and a half) would suit her. She handled it well and ground it out the whole way up the straight, she’s tough and genuine.”

Flynn hits them with a one-two

PAUL Flynn saddled a one-two in the Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap as Feature This (8/1), with Robert Whearty in the plate, held Nibras Rainbow by half a length.

Flynn said: “She loves the track and she is for sale. She would love the all-weathers in England, the likes of Wolverhampton or Kempton. There aren’t enough of them (all-weather races) over here and she would race all year, she is hardy as anything.”

Feature This won in the colours of owner Ian Brassil and Brian McInerney.

Fivecromwellplace was another handicap debutant to get off the mark as he served up a 40/1 shock in The Book Online @ DundalkStadium.com Handicap.

He had three unplaced runs in maidens, but it was a different story racing off a mark of 58 in this seven-furlong contest.

He led early under Nathan Crosse and, after being headed, regained the lead a furlong and a half out. The Galileo Gold gelding was in no mood to relent as he ran on by two lengths for owner/trainer Paul McEnery.

Crosse said: “We thought we would jump and go forward. I was happy that Dylan (Browne McMonagle on The Poacher Daly) came across and made the running. We stacked up once Dylan did that and I got first run on the rest.”

Daniel King put up his declared possible overweight of 2lb on Jazzy Dancer, but it didn’t inconvenience the 7/4 favourite who made all in The Happy St Patrick’s Weekend Handicap.

He saw off Hezahunk by three quarters of a length for owner/trainer Willie Martin. King said: “He likes that being up the front the whole way. He was good and quick away from the stalls, and he travelled well and picked up to hit the line well.”