GAVIN Cromwell is already considering a crack at the highest level with the very promising Path D’Oroux who bolstered his highly promising profile with a fine comeback success in the Corrib Oil Maiden Hurdle.

Now a winner of a point-to-point, a Punchestown Festival bumper and this race, the five-year-old looks a quality novice hurdler for the coming months on this evidence.

The French Connection Partnership-owned son of Coastal Path was upsides fellow 15/8 joint favourite Itswhatunitesus from the third last. Keith Donoghue’s mount edged ahead after two out where he produced a better jump than his aforementioned rival and another quick leap at the last set him up for a four-and-a-half-length success.

“He’ll come on plenty from this and he’s a nice one to look forward to for the winter,” reflected Cromwell. “He’s so switched off and he’ll probably sharpen up a bit from that. I’m not sure where we’ll go, but I suppose maybe Fairyhouse for the Royal Bond. He has a good turn of foot and he has gears.”

Double

Keith Donoghue is enjoying an excellent season and promptly followed up in the next, the SANSERV Rated Novice Chase over two and a quarter miles where he was aboard Michael Mulvany’s 25/1 shot Barnacullia.

This win left the rider on the 27-winner mark for the season and he needs just nine more victories to surpass his previous best seasonal tally. The complexion of this race changed dramatically over the final two fences as the patiently ridden Barnacullia swept through to lead after the last before getting home by a length and a quarter from Punitive. This was a second career success for the Clearys Syndicate-owned winner.

“We were a bit disappointed the last day with the way he jumped and we’ve done a good bit of schooling since,” declared Mulvany. “He’s been a work in progress but we knew he was back in good form. He’s learning on the job and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards.

“Potentially he’s a very nice horse, he’s a big strong horse and he’s only just coming to himself.”

GORDON Elliott has a lovely prospect on his hands in Three Card Brag who made a winning return in the Connolly’s Red Mills EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle.

This son of Jet Away defeated a 1/5 shot when making a winning debut in a Wexford bumper last March and this time he lowered the colours of last season’s quality bumper horse Sandor Clegane.

The victorious 5/2 chance was sent to the front by Davy Russell at the second last flight and retained control of the race thereafter. He finished strongly from the last to score by six and a half lengths.

Three Card Brag is owned by the McNeill Family and Patrick and Scott Bryceland.

“It looked a good race and he’s won well,” observed Elliott. “I loved the way he put his head down and galloped to the line and he will improve plenty from here. Sean Doyle recommended him well, he has a very good association with the McNeills. The horse doesn’t show much at home but saves it for the track and he has a lovely attitude. You’d like him.”

Elliott then added to his tally when sending out Firm Footings (6/5) to take the Colm Quinn BMW (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.

This Caldwell Construction-owned four-year-old finished third in a Punchestown Festival bumper on his debut last April and duly confirmed that promise under Jamie Codd. From the turn-in Firm Footings engaged in a protracted battle for supremacy with the race-fit Soldante which carried them well clear of the remainder. Firm Footings was on top in the last furlong and went on to prevail by a length and a quarter, with 14 lengths back to the third-placed runner.

“That’s just the start of our bumper horses getting ready,” remarked Elliott. “This is a nice horse who could run in a graded hurdle in the spring and then be left off until next year. He’s going to be a very nice stayer in time.”

Step forward

After struggling somewhat on his first two outings over timber the useful flat performer Common Practice (7/2) took a step forward to take the Renvyle House Hotel 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle. The Joseph O’Brien-trained and J.P. McManus-owned gelding ran out an ultimately comfortable winner.

Common Practice was produced by Mark Walsh to lead after the last and he went on to defeat the favourite Impero by three and a half lengths.

LAST week was a stunning one in the career of promising apprentice Daniel King. He kicked off with a winner at the Curragh on Wednesday, then stuck over jumps at Clonmel the following afternoon before making his mark at Dundalk on Friday evening.

King then maintained his momentum into the weekend as he successfully joined forces with Denis Hogan for the third time in as many days when Ballyadam Destiny struck at 20/1 in the W.B. Gavin & Co Handicap Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles.

The William Horgan-owned son of Martaline made all the running and found plenty from the turn in as several leading fancies threatened to close in. At the line the bottom weight had four and a half lengths to spare over the four-timer-chasing Moving Water.

Eric McNamara and his son Conor got amongst the winners when Meehall bagged the first division of the 80-95 rated Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Hurdle over three miles. A winner of a Killarney handicap chase on his penultimate outing in August, Meehall relished every yard of this trip.

He shook off Sulafaat from the last and kept on stoutly to the line to see off Brandy Harbour by four and a quarter lengths. Meehall is owned by Galway native Michael Dolan and could be given a break until after Christmas.

The Philip Rothwell-trained and -bred Royal Rhythm (9/1) was an emphatic winner of the other divide of that handicap hurdle. On his first outing since March, James O’Sullivan’s mount eased into contention on the inner approaching the second last flight and he ran right away from his discouraged rivals in the straight to record a resounding 13-length success in the colours of the trainer’s stalwart patron J.J. Leckey.