WAYNE Hassett continued his pursuit of the apprentices’ title when making most of the running aboard Harry’s Hill to win the Dolly’s Bar & Pantry Handicap at Bellewstown on Tuesday evening.

Sent off 4/1 joint-favourite, the Tipp Ramblers Partnership-owned gelding stayed on strongly to hold Transcendental by half a length.

Winning trainer Martin Hassett said: “He’s an absolute superstar! He was bought for 12 grand and he has won €130/€140,000. We thought it wasn’t a bad race, but he’s super fast out even though I think Rory (Cleary on Navalny) took him on there today. Plum draw in one and Wayne said to me ‘I’m letting him roll’.

“In fairness, the handicapper has given us a chance as he has dropped him a couple of pounds. There’s a race in Navan coming up soon over five. He has never run well over six, but I would be half tempted to give him a run in the Bold Lad (at the Curragh). He’s never got it before, but it is a big pot and he likes those!”

Experience

The Michael Grassick-trained Gazelle d’Or made her previous experience count when keeping on best under Rory Cleary to win the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

Owned by Mrs Renata Coleman, Aidan Gleeson and Michael Grassick, the 10/3 chance collared Bobbi Rosa inside the final furlong to win by half a length.

Winning rider Cleary later reported: “A nice filly and she showed plenty of boot from the gates, travelled good and strong. Ben Coen’s mount (Bobbi Rosa) brought us along fairly well all the way.

“I was fairly confident going to the road that she was going to pick up Ben. All her runs so far have been very good sort of runs even stepped up in class.

“The experience in the sales race (at Naas) has definitely stood to her. I think five is her minimum trip, so when she goes six or seven she will be okay.”

Future bright for Kelbelle

KELBELLE stepped up on a promising debut effort when easily winning the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned filly stretched clear in the straight to win by six lengths.

Jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said of the 9/4 favourite: “She pinged the gates and was happy to make the running. We didn’t go overly quick and I could dictate things from the front. She never really had to come off the bridle until before the road.

“She was always going to come on plenty for her first run. She’s had a few barrier trials and showed plenty. She got to the line strong today and galloped out good. She has got a maiden under her belt now, so hopefully she can keep on improving.”

Memorable success

A winner over course and distance in July, The Bog Bank gave Alyse Clarke another memorable success when getting up late to win Division l of the Gibneys Of Malahide Handicap.

Sent off a well supported 4/1 favourite, the Hugh J O’Brien, Loughlin Flynn and J B Tolan-owned mare headed Selective Power inside the final furlong to score by a length and a quarter.

Winning trainer Tom McCourt said: “She (The Bog Bank) knows where the line is! I thought she had a bit much to do maybe for the first half of the race. I suppose they went hard.

“She (Clarke) was good in the finish, she is coming on very well. She is improving with every ride. She’ll definitely get more opportunities at Dundalk in the winter.

“I think she is trying to decide whether to take a year out of college, she has just finished school.

“I’m hoping she takes a year out, she would be good to have for the winter in Dundalk.

“The Bog Bank will go to Dundalk, she has good form up there.”

Ado in the Pink and ready for the beach

CHERRY Pink struck on just her second start for Ado McGuinness when taking the second division of the Gibneys Of Malahide Handicap. Carrying the colours of Ms Hazel McGuinness, the 18/1 chance led inside the final furlong to beat Royal Tribute by a length and a quarter.

Ado McGuinness said: “It is hard to plan with these horses. That is only her second run for me. I bought her off Michael Halford not that long ago. She wasn’t overly expensive, but they are great fun horses these type of horses.

“She will be a good fun filly in Dundalk through the winter as well. She’s a strong filly and a nice-looking filly as well. She’ll definitely go to the beach in Laytown. I’ll have three or four, maybe five for the beach.

“I think she won with a nice bit in hand there and I hope he (handicapper) is not too hard on her, but he can’t be with these type of horses. He (Adam Caffrey) gave her a good ride and needed that win as well.”

Prendergast trains Lady O’Reilly winner

KEVIN Prendergast sent out Copie Conforme to win the Peadar Kearney’s Pub Handicap under Chris Hayes.

Sent off 10/3 favourite, the filly carried the colours of the late Lady O’Reilly to a half-length success. Winning rider Hayes reported: “That was a good performance because nothing worked out - wide draw, they went even without going mad, I was trapped deep and she came alive with me around the two turns and I said I would keep going forward.

“It was far from pretty, but she is an improving filly. As he (Prendergast) would say himself, I was there an hour too soon but at least she helped me.”

Ob La Di beat some higher rated rivals when taking the Gibneys Gormanston Fillies & Mares Maiden for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen.

The 12/1 chance led early in the straight before staying on well to hold Market Timing by half a length. Murtagh later said of the Weld-Spec (Glasgow) Ltd-owned winner: “When I entered her, I thought ‘geez, she would have a great chance of winning a race’, but when you see the standard of race. It looked a very, very competitive race, but this is a filly we always thought a lot of at the start of the year.

“She goes through the soft ground well and it was a good performance. I just put the cheekpieces on for this track, it is a sharp track. She probably didn’t need them, but around here just put them on her to help her on this track.

“I think she is a filly for the future. We might give her one more run this year. She has won her maiden now and we’ll look for a bit of blacktype.”

Places reversed

The Padraig Roche-trained Walking On Glass was awarded the concluding Ploughman Bar & Grill (Q.R.) Handicap following a stewards’ inquiry.

First past the post, Royal Eagle was disqualified and placed second, having been deemed to have caused interference. Only a neck separated the pair at the line, with the Fivers & Tenners Syndicate-owned 8/1 chance finishing strongly under Aine O’Connor.