ON a day when the powerhouse yards of de Bromhead, Mullins and Elliott were all on the mark, it was heart-warming to see 71-year-old owner/trainer Eleanor Broderick enthusiastically lead in her first winner under Rules, as Lisleigh Lad landed the INHSC Supporting Point-to-Points Hunters Chase.

Broderick was greeted by many well-wishers around the parade ring, after the 11/1 chance made headway between horses to lead two out and appeared to be getting the better of Ballyphilip, when that rival fell at the last.

Eoin O’Brien’s mount was left clear and kept on well to beat Ask D’man by six and a half lengths.

“It’s my first winner and I’m 71 years of age. The last time I was here with a horse was 34 years ago, with my father (Donald) and we had Ashpit finishing fourth in the Joseph O’Reilly,” said Broderick, who has trained ‘about 10 winners in points’ and is originally from Listowel, but now based near Fermoy.

“This fella is a good horse, but he wasn’t right last year. He won two (point-to-points) and beat Early Doors in Kildorrery.

“He came in this year a different horse.

“I don’t think he’ll go back point-to-pointing now and we’ll stay inside the rails. He’s a great jumper.”

Champion trainer Willie Mullins sent out a double, with Cool Park and Full Confession book-ending the card with wins in the maiden hurdle and bumper respectively.

Cool as a cucumber

Cool Park justified favouritism for the Twist In The Tail Syndicate in the mares maiden hurdle, leading approaching the straight and was left clear when nearest rival Amboyna blundered and unseated rider at the final flight, allowing the 6/4 shot to beat Fillusin by 18 lengths.

Winning rider Paul Townend said: “She’s growing up and maturing. She ran into a decent sort in Tramore, but did things wrong that day and there was a loose one annoying us.

“She jumped like a buck today and a more galloping track probably helped as well.”

Full Confession, owned and ridden by Mullins’ son Patrick, landed odds of 8/15 by two and a half lengths in the Fairyhouse Point-to-Point Flat Race, but had to survive a stewards’ enquiry after edging right in the closing stages and causing interference to the placed horses.

“He has a flat pedigree, so it was impressive to win a point-to-point in Dromahane and now win a slowly run bumper.

“He’s for sale to stay in the yard,” said the champion amateur, who picked up a three-day ban for careless riding.

DARRAGH O’Keeffe has enjoyed a great run of success recently and made it 11 winners in just over a fortnight when partnering a double aboard Whatsavailable and Native Speaker.

Whatsavailable, trained by Mouse Morris for Adam Scott, boosted his good record at the track when making all and taking control after the second last to beat Notkeepinyagoing by five lengths in the Fairyhouse Student Day Handicap Hurdle.

“He loves it here and that’s the third time I’m after winning on him around here. He loves a bit of nice ground and first-time blinkers really made him focus. He jumped well the whole way, picked up well and kept going,” said O’Keeffe of the 10/1 winner.

The Cork native followed up in the two-and-a-half-mile beginners chase where well-backed 9/4 shot Native Speaker, trained by Henry de Bromhead for Patrick Hale, also made all and put in a fine round of jumping to beat Will Do by nearly five lengths.

Following up

“That was much more pleasing. He won his maiden hurdle in Kilbeggan but we were bitterly disappointed with him in Sligo. It was a non-event that day and for whatever reason he just didn’t turn up,” said Robert Power representing de Bromhead.

“That was much more like what he showed us at home, and he jumped from fence to fence. Darragh is riding with plenty of confidence, and he was good and positive over the last two. He wants nice ground, and that was as short as he wants. He’s a three-mile chaser.”

THE Toni Quail-ridden General Hubble led home a 1-2-4 for the home team in the Lorna Brooke Ireland v Britain (Q.R.) Challenge Handicap Chase, drawing clear on the run-in to beat Toofareastiswest by six lengths.

“He’d a good run last week and Toni gave him a plucky ride. The 7lb off his back wasn’t any harm,” said Gordon Elliott, who trains the 5/2 favourite for James Power. General Hubble followed up under a penalty at Punchestown yesterday.

Quail, based with Sam Curling, said: “I’m delighted to be a part of this race and it’s brilliant for amateurs to have a race like this at Fairyhouse. That’s my first ride for Gordon and it’s great to ride a winner for him.”

Portarlington, 14/1 overnight and sent off at half those odds, scored on just his second start for local handler Ian Donoghue, when quickening to challenge before the last in the two-and-a-half-mile John Thomas McNamara Series (Q.R.) Handicap Hurdle and kept on well on the run-in for Josh Williamson to beat Down Around by half a length.

“Keith rode him the last day and loved him, but said he didn’t come down the hill that day in Limerick on quick ground. Josh gave him a great ride and he might go again at Navan on Sunday. The lads (Pipe Down Syndicate) will get a bit of craic out of him,” said Donoghue.