FRESH from a treble at Ballycahane the previous weekend, Brian Lawless again earned the plaudits at Lingstown, as he partnered two impressive debutants to victory.

The Co Wicklow native combined with Jimmy Kelly for his first win aboard Gentleman Toboot (5/2 – 5/1) in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden. A first winner in this age grade for Co Cork-based Kelly, the Harzand bay was bought for €46,000 at the Tattersalls May Store Sale.

Owned and bred by Pat McCarthy, he made a decisive move to the front approaching two out and quickly extended his advantage, eventually coming home 12 lengths to the good.

“He is a gorgeous big horse, and I think he has a big future ahead of him,” Kelly enthused. “It’s nice for me to have a horse like him early in my training career and we were confident coming here today.

“In the early stages of my career I used to ride Rule The World and he reminds me a lot of him.”

Praise

Matty Flynn O’Connor was brazen in his praise of Final Demand (5/4 favourite) after he took the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden, the handler asserting: “He is up there with as good as anything I’ve had.”

Bought for €230,000 at the Tattersalls Derby Sale, the imposing Walk In The Park bay is the fifth foal out of dual Grade 3 winner Zuzka, with her four older progeny all successful at least once on the track.

Sent off a warm order favourite to complete the Lawless double, the Ken Parkhill-bred victor was never far from the pace and improved to dispute the lead approaching two out. He gained an outright advantage when ridden before the last and readily stretched clear from there, coming home six lengths in front of the always prominent River Run Free.

Flynn O’Connor, who also owns this exciting prospect, added: “He is a gorgeous horse, he is still a big baby and will improve plenty for today. Hopefully he will go to the sales now at Cheltenham.”

De Nordener (5/4 – 5/2) and Toni Quail have been one of the stories of the season thus far, and they combined for a fourth win of the campaign in the open over the banks course.

Recording his second success in a race of this nature, the eight-year-old was never far from the pace and improved to dispute the lead seven from the finish.

Trained by Sam Curling and owned by Daniel Boland, the admirable bay gained an outright advantage four out and had matters under control before the last, keeping on well to prevail by three and a half lengths.

“He loves the banks. He was savage in Knockanard and was very good again today,” Quail reported.

“Hopefully he will go to Punchestown. I’m just so grateful for him and thanks to Sam for putting me up, it’s brilliant.”

THE Darragh Berry-trained Get Off Your Phone (3/1 – 5/1) was an appropriate winner of the five-year-old mares’ maiden, with this race named in memory of Berry’s late uncle Padge. A fine second on her return to action at Dungarvan in January, the Shane O’Rourke-ridden victor was settled behind the leaders in the colours of the Run For Fun Partnership.

Sent to the front before two out and ridden clear on the approach to the last, her advantage was reduced on the run-in by Vroomoz Eile, with a length and a half between them at the line.

“She fell the first day and we let her off then, but she ran well on her return at Dungarvan. We expected her to win today and she did, so it’s great,” Berry commented. “I worked with my uncle Padge for years, so it’s nice to win this race.”

Liam Kenny was another Co Wexford handler on the mark, with his Kingston Queen (3/1 – 11/4) coming out on top after a dramatic conclusion to the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden.

Owned by Kenny’s wife, Noeleen, and ridden by their son James, the €40,000 Goffs Arkle Sale purchase improved to dispute the lead before the final fence and was soon left with a clear advantage, coming home eight lengths to the good.

The last fence drama ensued when Apaloosey, who was in a share of the lead, unseated Eoin Staples, while Rock On By fell independently when holding every chance in a close third.

“We went steady but from the third last home we really started to fly. I had lots of mare under me crossing the line,” the winning rider disclosed.

“We liked her a lot at home and she should have a bright future on the track. All being well she will go to the sales now.”

TOM Dreaper’s Shabby Hill (5/2 – 5/1) just prevailed in the concluding five-year-old and upwards maiden for handlers with 10 wins or less.

Dreaper, who was rounding off a memorable week after registering his first track win at Thurles the previous Tuesday, also claimed this very race 12 months ago with Lady In The Park.

Given a patient ride by Cormac Abernethy, the Kalanisi debutant was slightly hampered by the fall of Alright Montana two fences from home.

Soon ridden in fourth, the P.J. Casey-owned victor went second before the last and found plenty for pressure on the run-in, getting up close home to beat Lig Tara by a neck.

“He is a lovely horse and does everything very easy,” Dreaper remarked. “He was sent to me to win a point-to-point and luckily enough that’s what he has done. He will be sold now.”

Horse to Follow

Tell Him Nuttin (D. V. O’Brien) The first foal out of six-time track victor Tellthemnuttin, this Mount Nelson bay might be able to build on what was a career-best effort. Given a patient ride, she was struggling in a moderate seventh before two out but made up a lot of ground in the closing stages and went down by just over a length in the race won by Shabby Hill.