BRILLIANT Question provided Galway natives Robbie Geoghegan and Kevin Heffernan with a memorable success in the Follow Limerick Racecourse On Instagram Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

Completing a first double as a professional for Geoghegan, the Gutaifan grey was providing owner/trainer Heffernan with his initial racecourse triumph. Settled towards the rear before making steady headway from five out, the 11/1 chance was pushed along to lead before the last and surged clear on the run-in, winning by five-and-a-half lengths.

“She’s a lovely little mare. She’s been placed a few times on the flat and now she’s a winner over hurdles,” Heffernan, who is also a farrier, enthused. “I’ve a few point-to-pointers and a few horses for the summer. We’ve only a small string and Andrew Flaherty, my nephew, is the main man. He does all the riding out.”

For his part, Geoghegan added: “That’s my first double as a professional. I rode a double before as an amateur in point-to-points but that’s my first on the track. There are a lot of bad days but this makes up for it.”

Geoghegan, who registered a treble at Belclare point-to-point in March 2010, earlier steered Noble Talent to victory in the Become A Member @Limerick Handicap Hurdle.

Handicap debut

With some solid bumper form to his name, the T.J. Nagle-trained seven-year-old came in for plenty of market support on his handicap debut and was returned a 5/1 chance (10s early) in the colours of Ailish Glynn. Sent to the front five out, the Getaway seven-year-old was pressed on the approach to the penultimate obstacle, but soon went on again and was 12-lengths clear of Kiln Time at the line.

“He showed some promise in his bumpers and I thought if he handled the ground today he might win,” Nagle reflected. “He got a mark of 102 which was plenty for what he’d done and hopefully he can build on this.I think there is a race for him pretty soon at Clonmel and when he handled the ground today he should handle it there.”

THE Dancing Tree (9/1 from 3s early) benefited from an enterprising Declan Lavery ride, as he comfortably accounted for his four rivals in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race. While the market principals elected to take a wider course, Lavery was content to position the easy-to-back Gavin Cromwell-trained victor on the inner.

The Jackie Russell-owned five-year-old had outsider Half A Chance for company throughout, but he readily stretched clear of that rival when pushed along over a furlong from home and had six-and-a-half lengths to spare at the line.

“It was very straightforward. I walked the track and I thought down the inside was best. I thought the outside was deep enough and while the inside was old ground, it was a bit drier,” Lavery revealed.

“He travelled away well and is still a bit green as he was looking around a bit.”

Unassailable lead

Conditional Carl Millar also earned plenty of plaudits after guiding Robinstown (8/1) to victory in the opening Limerick Racecourse Claiming Hurdle. Sent straight to the front, the Cian Collins-trained nine-year-old increased his advantage from five out and had an unassailable lead approaching the straight, with 25 lengths the margin of victory. “He lost his way and doesn’t seem to enjoy jumping fences as much, so the hurdles probably suited him today,” Collins said of the One For No Reason Syndicate-owned victor. “It was a brilliant ride by Carl. He’s very underused and hopefully he’ll get a few more rides now. He’s well worth the 7lb.”

MISTERGIF (8/13 favourite) rounded off a highly productive January for Willie Mullins, as he impressively dismissed 13 rivals in the Follow Limerick Racecourse On Twitter Maiden Hurdle. A 40th winner since the turn of the year for the master of Closutton, the €190,000 Arqana purchase dominated from flag fall under Kieran Callaghan and came home 18-lengths to the good.

In the double green silks of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the five-year-old Zarak bay was without a win in eleven starts in his native France.

“It was very straightforward. He had experience around Auteuil and loads of runs on the flat as well as a young horse,” Callaghan explained. “He hit the line hard and I was at the first hurdle down the back pulling him up so it’s definitely a good sign on that ground.”

Mount Frisco (5/2 favourite) was another to make every post a winning one, as he too justified favouritism under Philip Donovan in the Limerick Novice Handicap Hurdle. Owned and trained by John Ryan and successful over fences at Tramore on New Year’s Day, the five-year-old was pressed before two out but went on again approaching the last and had three-lengths to spare at the line. “He’s a fair one, he’s a decent horse. He loves the heavy ground. He’ll win good chases and is probably in Lucid Dreams’ class,” Ryan commented.

Penultimate flight

Eric McNamara also has the larger obstacles in mind for Mag Dillane, after she made the breakthrough on her 10th start in the Limerick Racecourse Opportunity Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Out of listed bumper winner, Gaillimh A Chroi, the 13/8 chance was settled in mid-division by Mark McDonagh and came with her challenge on the inner approaching the penultimate flight. A slow jump there didn’t help her cause, but she made her way to the front before the last and kept on well in the closing stages, going on to prevail by two-and-a-quarter lengths for owners John Leahy and Rhona Buckley.

“I’m delighted to win with her. I thought going into the race that she had the best form. She’s a solid mare and I don’t think she will go up for winning that,” McNamara, who was also on the mark at Naas on Sunday, remarked. “It was an average maiden hurdle, but she was entitled to win one. She will probably go chasing straight away now and I think she will make a better mare over fences.”