DOUBLES were the order of the day with Scott McCullagh, Jake Coen and Gavin Ryan all partnering a brace of winners on this sun-kissed afternoon card.

Making the running and bagging the far rail in the straight has been a feature at many Gowran Park meetings this year and it again proved a successful formulae for McCullagh aboard both Instant Appeal and Woodcock Flight.

Old Faithful (8/15 favourite) was all the rage for the opening seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden following a promising debut at the Curragh but the Ballydoyle juvenile proved no match for Instant Appeal. The latter had also shown useful placed form on both previous starts including behind City Of Troy.

McCullagh made most on the Jessica Harrington-trained 4/1 chance who kept on strongly inside the final furlong to beat Starliner by a length and a quarter with the hot-pot a further length and three quarters back in third.

Stable representative Richie Galway said: “His couple of runs were promising and like some of Jessie’s he has gone through a bit of a growth spurt. He looks like he wants a mile and he loves that (good) ground.

Stakes options

“If we keep getting this weather and he comes out of this well we can have a look at a few end of season stakes options but he’s probably a horse for next year. Alpha is a trading syndicate so we will see what that brings.”

Woodcock Flight (3/1) made all in a Bellewstown maiden the previous week and followed up again from the front in the Golf At Gowran Park Handicap also over seven furlongs.

The son of Kevin Prendergast’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner Awtaad is owned, trained and bred by the veteran Curragh handler but needed the line as Dance Night Andday, switched left for a clear run over a furlong out, only failed by a diminishing head to get up.

“It’s nice to back up the last run and he seems like a horse that is improving with racing,” said McCullagh, recording his ninth winner of the season.

“He enjoys being in front, quickens up but then levels off in the last furlong. I’m delighted to get another one on the board for Mr Prendergast and I go in there every Saturday for first lot.”

JAKE Coen initiated his brace by riding a first winner for Dermot Weld on the well-backed Partisan Hero (9/2-10/3 favourite) in the Societies Welcome At Gowran Park Apprentice Handicap over a mile.

The Moyglare Stud homebred, placed on both previous handicap starts, was never too far from the pace and kept on under pressure to get the better of Pink Socks by a head.

“He’d a couple of fair runs and Mr Weld and Chris Hayes were a big help to me. It was a smoothly run race and he’s a lovely big horse,” said Coen.

The teenager doubled up in the following Support The Irish Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap when switching Lady Arwen out to get a clear run over a furlong out before finishing strongly to beat Rock Etoile by a length and a half.

“Everyone was saying her best form was over seven but the way she hit the line at Leopardstown the last day I felt she had to get a mile.

“She’s probably more relaxed now than when she came to us first and good ground is essential to her,” said Conor O’Dwyer, who trains the 9/1 shot for the Killaloe-based From Clare To Here Partnership.

On the scoresheet

Coen’s older brother Ben was also on the scoresheet as Alabama Pearl ended a frustrating run of placed efforts in style by readily justifying good support in the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The Noel Hartley-owned filly, available at 4/1 overnight and supported at all rates down to 11/8 favourite, took command from well over a furlong out to score by five lengths.

“She didn’t look like one that would take 10 runs to break her maiden but the last six weeks or so she has been very consistent and maybe she bumped into a couple of well handicapped horses. Dropping back into maiden class today Ben said she was always travelling strong and hit the line really well,” said trainer Johnny Murtagh.

GAVIN Ryan moved onto the 26-winner mark for the season with a 21/1 double on Hello Power and A Piece Of Heaven.

The former provided trainer Darren Bunyan with a third success in the space of eight days in the Membership At Gowran Park Fillies Claiming Race, challenging up the centre of the course and leading inside the final furlong to beat evens favourite Celtic Crown by a length and a half despite drifting left in the closing stages.

“Darren said dropping back in distance wouldn’t inconvenience her too much as she’s a filly, well able to travel in her work. He said ride her to finish out and she’s done just that,” said Ryan of the 7/1 winner. Third-placed Velvet And Vine was claimed by Curragh trainer Jenny Lynch for €14,000.

A Piece Of Heaven, fourth in the Champion Bumper at the Punchestown Festival, made most under Ryan in the Racing Again September 16th Maiden.

Kept on

The Jukebox Jury gelding edged left in the straight towards the stand side rail but kept on well to beat Uxmal by two and three-quarter lengths.

“The ground is the biggest thing to make sure it is right for him and he’ll step forward from this. We might look at Listowel even though it will be a quick turnaround,” said Barry Fitzgerald, who trains the 7/4 favourite for Victoria Brann and Michael Foley.

“He’ll stay on the flat for the moment and hopefully will get a mark after this and can mix it with jumping next year. He’s a classy horse and by a good sire as well.”