CHAMPIONSHIP-chasing Jack Kennedy completed a Limerick double on Sunday, completing the feat on a pair of Gordon Elliott-trained runners to move him seven winners clear of Paul Townend (115-108) in the title race.

Kennedy began by landing the Follow Limerick Races On Twitter Mares Hurdle on the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Miss Agusta (9/2), which proved the short-head winner from Splashing Out.

Miss Agusta led and while headed by Splashing Out after the final flight, rallied to regain the lead at the line.

Elliott was absent and afterwards Kennedy commented: “I wasn’t sure if we had won but I knew I was definitely getting back at Mark’s (Walsh on Splashing Out) horse. Thankfully it worked out.

“All along she had been running in better races and we were disappointed with her but she was down in class today. It was nice for her to do that.”

Easy win

An hour and 10 minutes later Kennedy steered Elliott’s Little Emperor Syndicate-owned Gold In The Rivers (13/8) to an easy 15 lengths win over 4/6 favourite Summer Melody in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle.

Kennedy had frustratingly finished second to another Elliott-trained horse Twoohthree on Gold In The Rivers at Leopardstown on March 4th and added: “I didn’t get a choice which horse to ride the last day as the winner (Twoohthree) hadn’t a whole lot done, so nobody really knew what he was like.

“Gold In The Rivers is a lovely horse, is a big baby and did what we thought he could have done all along. The looser ground helped him as tacky ground had been catching him. Some of the Walk In The Parks also take a bit of time to mature mentally.

“That was an easy enough contest but hopefully can keep improving. He is a fine big horse.”

No disputing Diplomacy’s class

MOST impressive winner of the day was undoubtably Shuttle Diplomacy (13/8 favourite) in the concluding Kevin McManus Champion Listed Bumper for four-year-olds, scoring for trainer Tom Cooper and champion amateur Patrick Mullins.

A winner on debut at Naas in January, the Ciaran Mooney-owned gelding went quickly clear of his nearest pursuers in the home straight today, running on strongly to beat Putapoundinthejar by seven and a half lengths.

Impressed trainer Cooper has already trained a Cheltenham Bumper winner, and today reported: “Bryan (Cooper, son) rode him work up the Old Vic on Tuesday and he was awesome.

“Bryan knows the Vic inside out and the lad in behind knows it better, and to quicken twice you’d do very well to get up to the hill. He could quicken a third time though.

“He is a very good horse, has no worries about ground and was much more professional today. He was very green in Naas but was sharper and knew his job today. He is the real deal.

“Sean Tierney bought him cheaply out of France as an unbroken two-year-old. He wouldn’t have the best conformation but he can gallop.

“He will go to Punchestown now for the Champion Bumper and this horse will win on the flat - he has so many gears.”

Losing spell

Racing began with the Limerick Racecourse Maiden Hurdle and was won by the Gavin Cromwell-trained 8/13 favourite Laser Wolf.

Ridden by Keith Donoghue for owner Gerard Browne, the six-year-old ended a 13-race losing spell, which has included five runner-up efforts, when getting the better of Whimsy by a length and three-quarters.

Donoghue later said: “Obviously he had been knocking on the door but it was straightforward and it looked a good enough opportunity.

“Anthony McCann’s mare (Whimsy) was getting plenty of weight from us and on the ratings was better in but everything went well in the race.

“He could build into a nice two-mile chaser as he isn’t slow and is a good jumper. Hopefully he can build on that it can do his confidence good.”

Zeeband brings cheer for Gilligan

FATHER and son, trainer and jockey combination Paul and Jack Gilligan landed the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle with Zeeband (10/3 favourite), which was a bittersweet winner for owner Paul Carty.

In the race Zeeband pressed Champagne Mahler for the lead and eventually finished well in testing conditions to score by five and a half lengths from Grace Faraday.

Trainer Gilligan reported: “He’ll be a grand horse for the summer, he will jump a fence at some time but today is a lovely day to win because Paul Carty - who owns half of the horse with Natalie (Gilligan), his mother is quite ill in hospital.

“It is a great boost for them and hopefully she will get a kick out of it as well.”

He added: “Jack gave him a lovely ride as we planned to poke Henry’s horse (front-running Champagne Mahler) along and I did think we’d reverse Gowran form with him. He is only getting the hang of things over hurdles now and hopefully will stay progressing.”

Local win

Locally trained He Fitz In (4/1, for owner Cathal McDaid) landed the Student Raceday 11th April Handicap Chase for trainer Davy Fitzgerald and jockey Danny Mullins.

He Fitz In edged narrowly past Atacanter on the run-in to score by three-quarters of a length.

Afterwards Fitzgerald reported: “He was unlucky last year in Sligo (when a final fence faller) and deserved to win again. He is probably still well handicapped and we’ll see what he gets,” Fitzgerald commented.

“I always wanted to run over further and the Ulster National (over three miles, four furlongs) is in two weeks so if he scrapes into that, that’s where he’ll go. I was worried about the ground but he is a dour stayer.”

The other chase on the card was the Limerick Races On Instagram Handicap, and it went to the Barry Connell owned-and-trained Hgranca De Thaix (7/2), under Michael O’Sullivan.

The winner scored by a head, and afterwards a relieved Connell said: “We probably would have had a winner at Navan yesterday (De Lady In Red) who didn’t deserve her fall. I fancied this fella today with a 10lb turnaround with Dancing Jeremy and a step up from two miles to two miles and four furlongs.

Staying on

“He was always staying on at the end of his two-mile races and I think he is a classic two miles, four-furlong horse. He has a gear, loves that ground and has had his run in a handicap.

“He was rated 121 over hurdles but he (the handicapper) gave him 127 over fences which I thought was a bit steep but he is never too far wrong and the horse has won off it, so we can’t complain.

“If the rain keeps coming we could turn him out again but I don’t think he will be a horse for Punchestown on that ground.”