NOEL Meade completed a 37/1 treble on the first day of Galway’s bank holiday fixture, with the middle leg being Sportinthepark, who put in a fine round of jumping to take the Sanserv Rated Novice Chase under Sean Flanagan.

Carrying the colours of this year’s Galway Plate winner Pinkerton, the 9/2 chance made all to beat Sea Music by eight and a half lengths.

Meade said of Philip Polly’s five-year-old: “We paid a lot of money for him after he finished second in a point-to-point, but we didn’t see the horse that we’re now seeing.

“Since he came in this season, he is a different horse and, while I know fences have changed him, anything he is doing he is doing well. He is a huge big horse, so maybe we did too much too soon with him.

“We were worried about coming back in trip, but maybe two miles and a quarter is right and riding him that way is right. We’ll give him an entry in a graded race and he will go on soft ground.”

No messing about

Meade’s Messerschmitt (3/1 joint-favourite) had struck earlier, when taking the Renvyle House Hotel 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle under Donagh Meyler.

The Kessaar gelding had unseated his rider on hurdling debut at Killarney, but set the record straight here, hitting the front after two out to beat Moutarde by two and three-quarter lengths.

Meade said of the winner, which he owns himself: “I didn’t do a great job with him earlier in the year, as I brought him back in trip, but he actually stays forever.

“He should be a sprinter by rights, but loves jumping and I said to Donagh going out that, barring accidents, he would win.

“I’d imagine he will go to Fairyhouse next for a graded race and he goes on any ground, as he won his two-year-old maiden on soft.

“He is still there to be bought, and I’d say he might get sold now.”

O’Connor special

Colcannon rounded off a good day for Meade, when gaining a deserved success in the Joe O’Gorman Memorial (C&G) (Pro/Am) Flat Race.

The son of Berkshire, owned by the Philip Meade Syndicate, was certainly not scoring out of turn, having shown promise on a number of occasions and was disqualified at Punchestown back in February after his rider weighed in a few pounds light having ‘won’ by nine lengths.

The 8/11 favourite was sent to the front just over a furlong out by Derek O’Connor and beat Heads Up by two and three-quarter lengths.

Meade said: “The day he ‘won’ in Punchestown last season was his D-Day, as he went downhill after that, being a young and immature four-year-old. Over the summer he grew a lot, he is still growing and is from a fabulous family.

“Derek said he pulled too hard, but hopefully we will be able to get him to relax and he’ll go jumping hurdles now. It was a great day’s work and was like old times!”

WILLIE Mullins and Paul Townend are certainly no strangers to feature-race success at Ballybrit and teamed up to collect the main prize of the afternoon, as Four Clean Aces (3/1) landed the W.B. Gavin & Co Handicap Hurdle.

Owned by the Jack Of All Trades Syndicate, the diminutive daughter of Saint Des Saints travelled well to lead after the penultimate flight in the two-mile, six-furlong contest, but needed to be driven right out to hold off the challenge of Zeeband by half a length.

Townend said: “She had surprised me how well she handled soft ground at Listowel and the step up in trip has brought about the improvement.

“It is yielding ground out there. She is not a winter mare, but is fine on that and the step up in trip was the main thing.”

Galway Glory

Sporting Glory justified 11/8 favouritism when taking the Corrib Oil Maiden Hurdle for Gordon Elliott and Sam Ewing.

The Fame And Glory gelding joined the front-running Addragoole before the second last and the pair quickly had the race between them.

The winner, bought for £120,000 at Doncaster after winning a Fairyhouse bumper for Pat Fahy earlier this year, took control on the run-in to score by six lengths.

Elliott was represented by Lisa O’Neill, who said: “He was entitled to do that, as he obviously had good form before coming to us.

“He should improve plenty from it and there will be plenty of novice opportunities for him. It is great for KTDA Racing, who are great supporters of the yard.”

SCOTCANTOU (14/1) showed great determination when getting up virtually on the line in the Connolly’s Red Mills EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle.

Downmexicoway jumped to the front at the penultimate flight and looked a likely winner for most of the run-in, only to be pegged back in the final strides as Calum Hogan’s mount got the verdict by a head.

Winning trainer Eoin McCarthy said: “This horse is tough and genuine. He probably won’t want the ground any softer, but he stuck at it.

“You can’t beat a young lad riding with confidence, and I’m delighted for his owner John Moylan.”

Rathkeale teenager Hogan went on to complete his first double as Meehall (9/2 favourite) continued a rich vein of form for the Eric McNamara yard, by taking the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Hurdle in decisive fashion.

Michael Dolan’s Mahler gelding, also successful in this race back in 2022, led from two out to beat Walk In Time by three and three-quarter lengths.

McNamara was represented by his son Conor, who said: “Calum gave him a beautiful ride and claiming the 7lb off 12 stone was a big help.”