THE East Down Hunt sanctioned Tyrella fixture has produced some smart prospects in recent years, and the trend continued last Saturday at the scenic venue as Bobbisilver (5/1 - 6/1) produced a visually impressive performance in the five and six-year-old mares maiden, on her debut.

Sean Doyle’s imposing daughter of Malinas, who was one of three debutantes in this field, travelled like the winner to the second last, however soon after she met severe trouble in-running when shortened up for room and ultimately losing a great deal of ground and momentum.

Dropping back to fourth and coaxed into the bridle again by Liam Gilligan, the filly showed a very useful change of gears to sprint into a challenging second on the run to the last, eroding the leader’s advantage with every stride.

Finding plenty for Gilligan’s urgings, she crossed the line by a going away two lengths over the Colin Bowe-trained favourite Barrons Land.

“She got tight for room after two-out, and she has lost a great deal of ground there. If she had of avoided that she would have won fairly easily,” said winning owner Gearoid Doyle of what was his brother Sean’s 12th success of the season. “She is a smart filly, and we really like her. She will make a lovely horse on the track, even dropping back in trip.”

The Doyle family were also in the winner’s enclosure again as Vision De Maine (3/1 - 7/2) showed a blistering turn of foot to oblige in the opening four-year-old maiden for his handler Cormac Doyle.

Closely related to the ten-time flat winner Vision D’Etat, the prominently-ridden son of Buck’s Boum came into the race with a sizeable reputation.

Always up with the pace, the Monbeg Farm Partnership-owned gelding travelled sweetly and jumped impeccably throughout, showing an potent change of gears to kick into a handy advantage approaching the last.

Pinged over the last by Jack Hendrick, a shake of the reigns was enough to secure victory, and four-lengths was the winning margin from the short-priced Invicta Du Berlais, with the Cheltenham festival sales now beckoning for the victor.

“He is a very nice horse, and we really liked him at home,” said Hendrick. “He jumps very well, and he is straightforward. He was plenty green through the gap, but when the other horse came to his girth he found again, and I had plenty of horse left.”

It was a red-letter day for local handler Matthew Kelly, who sent out the first winner of his career in the older maiden courtesy of the eight-year-old Soivegotachance (2/1 - 11/4 joint favourite).

The son of Imperial Monarch came into the event with some very useful form to his name having finished second in a Perth maiden hurdle back in July 2021 and with two of his chief rivals exiting the race early, Alex Harvey seized the initiative to take over the running from four-out.

His advantage grew with each obstacle and the race was ultimately put to bed from three-out to maintain a 33-length cushion over Le Mieux at the line.

“He is a very genuine type of horse who jumps very well, and we fancied him today. We will head for a winners-of-one race next and then we always have the option to return to the track in time,” the winning owner and handler.

Quinn continues winning trend with Racavan’s success

THE in-form Gerald Quinn stable entered the winner’s enclosure for the second time in as many weeks as Racavan (5/1 - 7/2) proved a game victor of the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The son of Watar who is closely related to the useful six-time winner Ramore Will, impressed here in what was the ultimate showing of grit, determination and stamina.

The strapping type tracked the leaders throughout, and with a quick jump four-out Noel McParlan sent him to the front.

The gelding was very confidently handled and there were never any distress signals, until a line of three joined him in the home straight, and he had to knuckle down and fight to hold his slender lead to the last.

Isholo Du Vivien looked a major danger at the last and eye-balled the winner, but the Philip McBurney-owned gelding showed bundles of tenacity to pull out more and win going away at the finish with one-length the winning distance.

“We hold him in high regard, and he has battled so bravely to the line. He put his head down and he is a very tough horse,” Quinn said.

Only two runners took to the track for the winners-of-two event and it produced an upset as the long odds-on favourite Grain De Folie proved to be no match for the CAFRE Racing Club-owned Boro Melody (5/2 - 3/1).

The son of Mahler had 23 lengths to find with his sole rival on their previous meeting at the same venue back in January, however that form was spectacularly overturned by the Corrie Auchterlonie-handled gelding who prevailed by a distance.

Dento saunters to victory all by himself

DENTO DES OBEAUX was the only one of five entries to be declared for the adjacent winners race in a disappointing walkover for spectators. The locally Patrick Turley-trained grey paraded to collect the spoils for what was his fourth victory between the flags.

“It was disappointing there was no runners, as this has been his main target all year, it is our local track and we fancied him to win,” Turley said. “Liam [Gibney, owner]does a lot of work with him, and he has him in great form. He has an entry in the maiden hunter chase at Thurles on Thursday, and that looks the probable target now.”

Horse to Follow

Isholo Du Vivien (C. Bowe): The son of Voiladenuo was patiently handled and the penny didn’t drop till late until he came home strongly and just failed to pass the game winner. The Milestone Bloodstock-owned gelding should shed his maiden tag next time out.