AS expected Elimay made it back-to-back wins in the BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Mares Chase with a smooth success which headed a treble for owner for J.P. McManus.

A game runner-up in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham last year, the eight-year-old will again be one of the foremost contenders for that prize at Prestbury Park as she enjoyed the perfect warm up.

As she dropped back to two miles for the first time this season, the 2/13 favourite was fitted with cheekpieces and a tongue-tie and she looked most assured from the front. She did get a little close to the last fence but was already firmly in command at this stage and she was able to coast home by five lengths from Court Maid.

“She’ll go back to Cheltenham now and Mark was very happy with her,” said Willie Mullins who was winning this race for the fifth time in succession. “The last day in Fairyhouse (second to Mount Ida), she was maybe a little sluggish so we put the cheekpieces on to sharpen her up, coming back to this trip and she did everything right.”

Powerful Goven

The same set of connections also landed the second division of the Cavan Developments Supporting Kill GAA Maiden Hurdle with Goven. The 6/4 shot was travelling powerfully in the front rank from the turn-in and he looked to have the measure of the market leader Mighty Blue when that one parted company with her rider at the final flight.

This left the six-year-old to finish eight and a half lengths ahead of the front-running 50/1 shot Thistle Ask as he built on a second to Hiaou at Punchestown. A rated novice hurdle could be next for the winner.

Bouncing Brazil

A fine day for J.P. McManus began when Padraig Roche’s Brazil routed his rivals in the Private Security Ltd Cleaning and Maintenance Supporting Kill GAA Rated Novice Hurdle. This four-year-old only affair contained some capable types but nothing could hold a candle to the Mark Walsh-ridden front-runner who took a step forward from three solid maiden hurdle efforts in recent months.

The 119-rated son of Galileo, who was returned a well-backed 9/4 favourite, stretched clear of a struggling field from the turn-in to reach the line 13 lengths ahead of Un Des Flos.

“We’ll probably stay at home with him for soft ground but we’ll talk to J.P. and Frank (Berry) about where he goes next. He jumps very well,” declared Roche.

JOURNEY With Me remains on course for Cheltenham after extending his winning sequence in the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Novice Hurdle. This race was used by City Island as a springboard to Ballymore glory in 2019 and the Robcour-owned gelding looks set to follow that path as he followed up his victory in a red-hot maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.

This two-mile, three-furlong contest was initially run at a crawl before Journey With Me moved on with a circuit to run and the 4/11 favourite was proficient for Rachael Blackmore. There was a point in the straight where several challengers were still in contention and Choice Of Words kept the market leader honest after the last, but Journey With Me got home by three lengths with a solid display that offered the promise of more.

“We just said we’d sit him in and see if he’d be happy enough to settle and in a normal race he would have been, but after half a mile Rachael had to go on,” commented de Bromhead. “Obviously further will suit him. I’d say he’ll be going for the Ballymore.”

Race sponsor Oliver McKiernan struck with Meet And Greet (9/2) in the first division of the Cavan Developments Supporting Kill GAA Maiden Hurdle. Low-lying sun meant that the two hurdles in the straight were omitted which left the runners with just four flights to negotiate.

On the especially long run for home the outcome came down to Meet And Greet, who won a Leopardstown bumper last season and was returning from three months off, and Marvel De Cerisy. Meet And Greet had to dig deep for Barry Browne but he got on top in the closing stages to score by just under four lengths.

Richard O’Brien made it two winners from three runners this National Hunt season as Sparkling Star made a winning debut for the trainer in the 80-109 rated Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle to reward those that backed him from 14/1 into 15/2.

This gelding had shown plenty of promise in his previous five outings and made a seamless transition to handicap company as Shane O’Callaghan produced him from off the pace to collar the game front-runner I Don’t Get It after the last.

The unexposed seven-year-old, who carries the colours of the Grey Lad Cousins Syndicate, prevailed by three lengths.

AS well as providing J.P. McManus with two legs of his treble, Willie Mullins went on to bring up a hat-trick of his own as Billaway landed the three-mile hunter chase for the third year in succession.

The John Turner-owned 2/5 favourite, in first-time cheekpieces, looked all the better for last month’s comeback at Thurles and he eased clear from the second last before a smooth four-and-a-half-length victory over stablemate Good Bye Sam.

“I thought he did that every efficiently and that was a nice prep for next month. He needed his first run badly and he’s come on for that,” stated the trainer whose charge has filled the runner-up spot in the hunter chase at Cheltenham for the last two years.

Icare impresses

The card concluded with an impressive display from Tom Cooper’s newcomer Icare D’Aubrelle who dominated the Jordan’s Centra Supporting Kill GAA (Pro/Am) Flat Race. The well-backed 5/2 favourite cruised through the race for Derek O’Connor and was just different class to these opponents as he eased to an eight-length victory over the favourite, Trust Me Nate.

“He’s very special. Bryan rode him in a school at Tipperary a couple of weeks back, two miles in soft ground, and he nearly went around a third time before he could pull him up,” observed Tom Cooper.

“We’ll discuss Cheltenham with the owner but I doubt very much if he will go. The owner (Ciaran Mooney) has a few nice horses with me and I’m very lucky to get a guy to put me back on track again.”