JOSH Halley will certainly have excellent reason to recall Sunday’s Bartlemy meeting, which was staged under the auspices of the United Hunt, as he sent out an initial four-year-old winner courtesy of Sergeant Fury.

One of five newcomers in the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, Sergeant Fury (4/1 - 6/1) was always positioned close to the pace as Mount Mandela set out with the intention of making all.

The winning son of Diamond Boy, a €20,000 Goffs Arkle sale graduate who is out of a half-sister to two blacktype-placed performers in Behemoth and Humbie from the same family as Natalies Fancy, was sent to the front by talented 5lb claimer Michael Kenneally on the run to the second last of the 14 obstacles.

Sergeant Fury then held on admirably inside the final 75 yards as Mount Rivers stayed on powerfully on the inner to close to within a head at the line.

Meanwhile, Dexperts Opinion made a most pleasing debut by securing the minor honours, a further half-length adrift.

Fabulous ride

“He has shown a lot in his work over the past few weeks and Michael Kenneally, who rides out two days a week for us, gave him a fabulous ride,” said handler Halley of his father John’s late May foal.

“Gerry Hogan and myself picked him out at the Goffs Arkle sale last year. We’re a trading yard and he will now be sold.”

Dexperts Opinion’s handler Cormac Doyle experienced better fortune by sending out Sober Glory (6/4 - 2/1 favourite) to make a victorious career debut under Jack Hendrick in the second division of this same contest.

Sober Glory moved effortlessly closer on the long descent to the third last with the son of Mount Nelson, a €41,000 foal purchase, out of a half-sister to Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle winner Fingal Bay, surging to the head of affairs before two out.

Sober Glory was clearly in command on the approach to the last and he returned with two and a half lengths to spare over fellow first-timer Great Fleet in the colours of the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership that incidentally includes John Hore of Mount Eaton Stud.

“He’s a big horse that took a blow there and he’ll go to a sale now,” said handler Doyle of Sober Glory.

Newcomer

Cormac Doyle’s elder brother Donnchadh Doyle, who actually owns Sunday’s Killarney bumper winner Kalium, likewise featured amongst the winners at the popular Hightown venue as he struck with newcomer Lady Kluck (5/2 - 3/1) in the four-year-old mares’ maiden.

One of seven debutantes in the 10-runner contest, Lady Kluck came from the rear of the field to pick up the running on the approach to the sixth fence.

The daughter of Walk In The Park, whose three-time track-winning dam is an own-sister to Grade 1 winner Captain Chris, jumped soundly thereafter for Brian Lawless and the Monbeg Syndicate-owned bay duly defeated the always-prominent Maestria by a length.

Maguire and Stokes jet to a double

FETHARD-based handler Nick Stokes has his team in terrific heart at present and, fresh from his across-the-card double at Ballindenisk and Stowlin the previous Sunday, he combined with Finian Maguire to record a double.

The pair opened their account with newcomer Jet To Vegas (3/1 - 4/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 14 runners.

Jet To Vegas, a €16,000 purchase as a foal that’s out of a half-sister to Grade 2-placed hurdler River Maigue, made smooth progress on the inner on the descent to three out and he then eased his way ever closer before the second last.

Assumed command

The winning son of Jet Away assumed command before the last en-route to disposing of Coole Cottage by four lengths. Stokes reported of the Ballymaglassan Farm Partnership-owned Jet To Vegas: “He’s a horse that was very weak as a four-year-old. He has just taken a while to come to hand. His owners have been very patient and I think that he has a future. He will probably now go to the sales.”

Annihilate

Parisian Fashion (3/1 - 4/1), who actually finished sixth on her career debut at this same meting 12 months ago, completed the Stokes/Maguire brace by returning from a five-month break to annihilate the opposition in the truly-run five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Parisian Fashion, having finished fourth on her previous outing at Borris House before Christmas, was bounced out at the head of affairs.

The daughter of Champs Elysees made all the running, jumping superbly in the process, and she stormed clear before two out to beat favourite Elafonisi by a widening 10 lengths in the silks of Eamonn Phelan. Parisian Fashion is the second produce out of listed winning bumper mare Legacy Gold (by Gold Well), who also finished third in the 2016 running of the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

THERE is nothing quite like winning at home and owner/breeder Michael O’Donovan, who lives just over a mile away from the course in Ballinakilla, was on the mark with the Terence O’Brien-trained Bowling Buddy (5/2 - 3/1 favourite) in a competitive renewal of the five-year-old and upwards confined hunt maiden.

Bowling Buddy, a fine fourth to Truckers Cruising on his debut at Curraghmore in mid-April, always travelled well for Darragh Allen and moved through to almost challenge on the outer approaching the third last.

The son of Ask picked up the running two out and drew clear from the last to beat longtime leader Trooper Carton by three and a half lengths. Bowling Buddy could now try his luck on the racecourse.

The Niall Kelleher-trained Sarah Jane (4/1 - 6/1) returned from a two-month break to post her second success of the campaign and third in total by landing the mares’ winners’ of two under Mikey O’Connor.

Sarah Jane, who recently visited Storm Of The Stars, came with a late lunge from the last and she surged past the odds-on Howya Luveen in the dying strides to oblige by threequarters of a length.

Sarah Jane, owned by Gerard Nihill, could run once more before retirement beckons.

Maestria (J. Ryan): This eyefilling daughter of Kingfisher atoned for puling up on her Tattersalls debut last month by serving it up to Lady Kluck in the four-year-old mares’ maiden. Ultimately beaten a length into second, the French-bred appears to hold valid track aspirations.