PADRAIG Roche saddled a double on the card with Cougar making a winning start over hurdles in the opening gowranpark.ie 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle while Walking On Glass benefitted from a fine ride by 7lb claimer Aidan Kelly in the Good Enuf 2 Eat Caterers At Gowran Park Handicap Hurdle.

Cougar, who easily won a Curragh maiden for Aidan O’Brien on his previous start at Irish Derby weekend, had a bit to do approaching the final flight but a slick jump proved crucial as the 5/2 shot reeled in Charlie Luciano to score by half a length in the hands of Mark Walsh.

Jumped great

“Mark said he jumped great so you couldn’t have asked for a better start. It was a lovely introduction and he’s an exciting horse to have in the yard. We’ll have a talk with Frank (Berry) and J.P. (McManus, owner) and see where we go now,” said the Curragh trainer.

Walking On Glass followed up a chase win at Ballinrobe last month with Aidan Kelly getting a nice run up the inner to challenge at the last in the three-mile handicap hurdle.

The 7/1 shot, owned by the Fivers & Tenners Syndicate, kept on well on the run-in to hold off Unexpected Depth by a head.

“He’s tough, honest and that’s his seventh win. He’s in good order and as long as the ground is good, we’ll run away.

“We might even put him in the Munster National if we got in there off a low weight. He’s tiny but he’s all guts and heart,” said Roche.

Mark Walsh also completed a double on the card and again sported the colours of J.P. McManus as Pairc Na Ngael made most of the running in the two-and-a-half-mile Hospitality At Gowran Park Handicap Chase.

Mistake

The easy-to-back 7/2 chance survived a bad mistake three out where close rival Arrycan unseated rider and kept on strongly from before the last to beat Old Town Garde by seven and a half lengths.

“They were going to hack so Mark was right to let him stride on,” said trainer Charles Byrnes.

“He was in nicely at the weights against the rest of them. We’ll tip away and look for something similar again. He’s won over three miles.”

Banbridge impresses on his chase debut

CHELTENHAM Festival winner Banbridge got his chasing career off to an exciting start when making all for an easy win in the Join Gowran Park Racing Club Beginners Chase.

The Ronnie Bartlett-owned gelding gained the most significant of his three hurdle wins in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle this March but, on this evidence, can prove even better over fences.

J.J. Slevin had an armchair ride as the 5/6 favourite jumped from fence to fence, taking control after the second last for a facile eight-and-a-half-length victory over Indigo Breeze.

“He came from a good point-to-point school in the north of Ireland. We had schooled him a bit at home and he has been very good,” said Slevin. “He’s probably not a real winter horse, more of a spring horse.”

Wellington Hill justified good support for local trainer Mags Mullins and her son Danny when getting up on the line to land the two-and-a-half-mile Golf Memberships At Gowran Park Maiden Hurdle.

The Yeats gelding, available at 11/1 overnight and further supported on track from 11/2 into 4/1, responded gamely to a strong drive on the run-in to peg back 9/4 favourite Riaan on the line.

“He had a wind op last year and he’s improved every day since he came back from it. He’s really a chaser in the making and needed every yard of that. All the family don’t come to themselves until late,” said Mags Mullins of the Daniel Furini-owned and -bred gelding.

Danny Mullins went close to partnering a double in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Captain Christy Rated Novice Chase where Captain Kangaroo was far from fluent and, despite a blunder two out, still held a slight advantage at the last.

Found more

However, the Henry de Bromhead-trained True Faith just found a bit more for Rachael Blackmore on the run-in to score by a neck.

“He was stepping up to three miles, it probably turned into a bit of a sprint but he did it well. I got hampered a bit but he stuck his head down well to win. He seems to be taking to fences really well,” said Blackmore of the Robcour-owned 9/4 favourite who was following up a win at Tramore.

Natural Look appreciated the step up to two and a half miles as Declan Queally’s mare eventually proved a decisive winner of the Paulstown Handicap Hurdle.

The 3/1 shot headed fellow joint-favourite Wa Wa when that rival lost any chance with a mistake at the final flight, while Ventnor was also close up when falling at the last bringing down two other rivals.

The David Needham-owned mare took full advantage of all the drama staying on strongly on the run-in to beat Wa Wa by six lengths.