THERE was a sense of déjà vu at the second meeting of the season at Fairwood Park, with Denis Murphy once again registering a brace.

Successful for the Ballyboy Stables operator at the Co Wicklow venue last month, Chatshow Host (6/4 - 5/4 favourite) followed-up in style in the concluding mares’ winners-of-two.

Given a patient ride by Luke Murphy, the Soldier Of Fortune bay came through to lead before the second last and soon stretched clear, going on to score by eight lengths.

“She is good. We probably shouldn’t have run her as a four-year-old, she is nearly 17hh and was just too big and immature,” the winning handler stated.

“She is improving and is only starting to mature but is so big and backwards still. The last few weeks she has been showing us what she is able to do.

“She could end up being a good staying chaser and she will probably go to the sales now in Cheltenham.”

Comfortably

Murphy earlier claimed the five-and-six-year-old geldings’ maiden with Garcon Dargent (6/4 - 9/4), who comfortably got the better of market-rival Ringcraft.

On what was his first start since May, the Doyen bay appeared to be struggling when dropping to fourth after the third last, but soon got a second wind.

Sent to the front before the final fence, he kept on well in the closing stages and came home 10 lengths to the good under Jack Hendrick.

Ringcraft, who didn’t jump with much fluency, looked set to make a winning debut when hitting the front on the run to two out, but he ultimately had to settle for second.

“We got him hobdayed during the summer and it has made the difference,” Murphy, who also owns both of his winners, commented.

“He is a horse with plenty of ability and we thought he would have won earlier than this. I’ll keep him and go for a winners-of-one. All the horses are running well. They are fine and healthy and that’s the most important thing.”

Home clear

Owned and trained by John Redmond, Inthemeantime (3/1 - 7/2) came home 19 lengths clear of the only other finisher Neat Locality in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

That only tells part of the story though, with Gentle Anna crashing out at the second last when travelling best in front to allow James Walsh’s mount return a wide-margin winner.

“She needed a bit of time. I only have two in training and I’ll run her in a winners’ race next,” Redmond disclosed.

“James is a nephew of mine and the last time he rode for me at Tinahely, he won on a mare called Shokalocka Baby.”

IT couldn’t have been more straightforward for Samcro (1/4- 1/3 favourite) in the four-runner open, with the dual-Cheltenham Festival winner making all under Barry O’Neill.

In a clear lead from early, the Gordon Elliott trained 10-year-old jumped well throughout and increased his advantage from the fourth last, with 35-lengths the margin of victory.

It was his second win of the season at Tinahely and his third in-a-row, with his most recent success coming at Damma House a fortnight ago.

“He is different class, that’s all you can really say,” O’Neill, who was completing a double, said of the Camilla Sharples owned chesnut.

“He is very versatile, the last day we took a lead and today we made the running. It’s going to take a fair horse to stay with him.”

The champion rider had earlier partnered Boston Town (5/2 - 9/4 favourite) to victory for Colin Bowe & Milestone Bloodstock in the opening four-year-old maiden.

Out of a half-sister to 2011 Grand National winner Ballabriggs, the bay gelding was third on his only previous outing at Portrush in March.

Always close to the pace, he was ridden to challenge the front-running Flash Du Pistolet on the approach to the second last and soon led, keeping on well from there and coming home seven and a half lengths to the good.

“He had a nice first run and got stronger over the summer,” divulged Bowe, who also saddled runner-up Captain Butler.

“We were expecting him to be there or thereabouts today. He is a nice straightforward horse and will head to the sales now.

“The runner-up ran well too despite being very green.”

IN the care of Ballyday handler John Walsh, Hastobedone (5/2) made the breakthrough in the six-year-old and upwards maiden for novice riders.

Bringing some track form to the table, the Westerner bay was brought down at the second last when still in with a chance on his most recent outing at Moira.

Never far from the pace and regaining the lead after three out under Dan Nevin, he kept on well when ridden in the straight and came home two lengths to the good.

Royal Finesse did close on the Tom Power and Annette Lawlor-owned victor on the run-in, but he ultimately had to settle for the runner-up berth.

“He was sore after Moira and I’m after getting a lot of people to sort him out over the last couple of weeks. Even on Wednesday I had a girl over who loosened him out,” Power revealed.

“I’m a farrier and I shoe the horses for John, while my partner Annette, who owns him with me, rides out for Colm Murphy.

“It’s nice to have a winner here because we are from just down the road, outside Carnew.”

Walsh narrowly missed out on an across-the-card double, with his stable star Singing Banjo going down by just a short-head in the opener at Punchestown on the same afternoon.

Captain Butler (C. Bowe): Out of six-time track winner Grangeclare Gold, the bay gelding ran a race full of promise on debut, coming from off the pace to chase home stable companion Boston Town.

Sure to come on plenty for this experience, he should be able to open his account soon.