OLIVER McKiernan enjoyed another memorable day at Naas last Sunday, when Bushmans Pass gave the Rathcoole handler a big pot in the €100,000 Bar One Racing Leinster National.

The Virtual gelding went to post a 12/1 shot in the feature contest after a disappointing effort on his previous outing at Punchestown. Phillip Enright employed more forcing tactics on his mount this time and it proved the difference for the nine-year-old.

There were plenty in with chances jumping the second last in the three-miler and, after getting narrowly headed on the run-in, Bushmans Pass dug deep to regain the lead close home and beat Hartur D’arc by half a length.

“We’re delighted and it was a great ride by Phillip,” said McKiernan, who trains the winner for Keep The Faith Bloodstock Limited. “The plan was to ride him forward all the way and, if they take him on, they take him on.

“We ran him in Punchestown the last day and he got tied up in the middle of a bunch of horses and he wasn’t comfortable at any stage. It was borderline whether we were going to run him. I said if the ground was drying out, there was no point in running him as he has leg trouble and stuff.

“I couldn’t believe that he had the boot to pick up again after two or three of them went by him jumping the last. He’ll get an entry in the Irish National now. He was 127 there and will probably go up 6lb. He could be a horse for it now.”

Classy four-timer for Closutton

WILLIE Mullins headed into another Cheltenham Festival in terrific form, as he sent out a four-timer on the last Irish card before the festival.

Gaucher was the star of the quartet, as he popped up to score at 20/1 in the Bar One Racing Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle. Brian Hayes was soon in front on the Frankel gelding and he kicked clear before the last to record an easy eight-and-a-half length winner in the Grade 3 contest for owner Rose Boyd.

“It was a very good performance giving weight to everything,” said Hayes. “I thought the track might suit him, around the inside. He’s a small, tidy, well-balanced horse. He has plenty of pace and he rolls nicely into and out of bends. Hopefully, he might win a few more.”

One ride, one winner

Paul Townend took one ride on the card, aboard Tim O’Driscoll’s Redemption Day in the opening maiden hurdle, and the Grade 1 bumper winner got off the mark over timber with a convincing success.

The 8/15 favourite came to lead before the last and stayed on well up the hill to beat Come Walk With Me by a length and three-quarters. “That was nice,” said Townend. “He settled nicely, which was good for him. He handled the trip no bother once he settled like that. He has the engine, but things probably haven’t gone right for him for a couple of seasons. Hopefully, he can have a nice spring on the back of that.”

Danny completes four-timer

Four different jockeys rode the winners for Mullins and it was his nephew Danny on board when Olympic Man overcame some sloppy jumps to take the beginners chase.

The 11/8 favourite looked booked for second, when making a mistake at the final fence, but dug deep on the run-in to peg back Foxy Girl and record a length-and-a-half win in Audrey Turley’s colours.

Danny Mullins said: “He’s not becoming a good jumper, but he’s getting good at being a bad jumper!

“Even the mistakes he’s making throughout, he’s not losing ground. The only one really was when we were off the bridle going to the last, he lost a length there. Once I galloped away from it, I always felt that I was picking Darragh (O’Keeffe) up, and he was good and tough up the hill.”

SEAN O’Keeffe took the mount on the Willie Mullins-trained Jump Allen in the two-mile, three-furlong handicap hurdle, as the 9/2 favourite recorded a cosy success. He was produced to lead before the last and went on to beat long-time leader American Money by four and three-quarter lengths on his handicap debut.

“He jumped really well and travelled nicely,” said O’Keeffe. “It got a bit tight around the home turn and, in fairness to him, he was good and brave to go through a narrow gap and get there.

“He’s learning and progressing away and, hopefully, he can keep doing that. He’ll be a nice horse and there will be a few nice races along the way with him.”

O’Keeffe partnered an impressive winner in King In Love in the preceding two-mile handicap hurdle. The Sean Aherne-trained gelding was driven along to lead at the last and the 6/1 shot soon opened up to post a seven-length win over Mahlers Cove. “It was a long time coming for me. Our horses were very sick for a very long time,” said Aherne afterwards. “Thank God, I had a few point-to-point winners lately and this is my first one on the track for a while. Hopefully, we’re on the better side of things.

“He had a lovely run the last day. He has a little turn of foot, so we dropped him back today and thank God it worked.”

Successful Switch

The Ross O’Sullivan-trained Switch From Diesel has options going forward, after recording her second bumper success in the concluding mares’ event.

Ray Barron’s mount travelled smoothly to launch her challenge in the straight and went on over a furlong from home to post a length-and-a-half success over Shadys Lady. “It’s not that she can’t jump, but Paul (Mullins) just wanted to wait an extra year and give the Grade 2 another go in Leopardstown,” said O’Sullivan.

“She was second in that Grade 2 again. She’s a lovely filly to have and has been very consistent this year. She’s pretty versatile between going jumping next year and maybe even running in a flat maiden.”