JACK Kennedy moved 14 winners clear (106-92) of Paul Townend in the jockeys’ championship with a Clonmel double on Thursday, highlighted by his fine winning ride on Search For Glory (5/4) in the featured Grade 3 Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding was reported to have hung left when previously beaten at Limerick during Christmas and in today’s three-runner race, made the running but again hung left and raced lazily.

Kennedy gave the winner a reminder after just the fourth hurdle and while he was hard at work throughout, the winner quickened nicely in the home straight to see off Harvard Guy (8/11 favourite) by four and a quarter lengths.

Always-last Sarah Beara completed in third, thus gaining a second blacktype-placing.

Winning trainer Gordon Elliott wasn’t present and Kennedy commented: “He actually did it well in the end and just didn’t like being in front.

“Once he got to the top of the hill he didn’t mind coming back around this way, but going away from the bend had been tricky.

“I wouldn’t even say he is better going left-handed, he just didn’t enjoy making the running. It worked out okay as he was always going to pick up and he actually showed more gears today than he ever did.”

Kennedy had earlier steered the Elliott-trained Undeniable Alibi (8/13 favourite) to win the Derrygrath Maiden Hurdle, as the Robcour-owned former point-to-point winner ended a frustrating spell of two recent defeats.

“We were a bit disappointed with him in his bumper and first run over hurdles, but did it well today,” said Kennedy. “We went a nice gallop for the way the ground is and jumped and travelled.

“From riding him at home, you’d think he was a graded horse and obviously he needs to step forward from today, but hopefully he can.”

RACING began with the Surehaul Race Day Mares Maiden Hurdle and provided trainer Josh Halley with a second career success as The Lord Maid (7/1) scored readily under Philip Enright.

The Mount Nelson-mare had previously finished third to smart Maughreen at Punchestown last month. Halley said: “She is improving every time she runs and her pedigree suggests the older she gets the better she’ll run. I was questioning with all the rain, but Philip said she loved that ground and he gave her a cracking ride. The more she runs the better she’ll get.

“We’ll give her a couple of weeks and she likes that ground, so hopefully that ground will come again. She is also very good over fences, but we’ll stay hurdling for the time being.

“That’s my second winner, I have a few horses which hopefully will show something over the next few days and have 15 or 16 of our own horses.”

Saint

There were two handicap hurdles with Kilbarry Saint (10/3 favourite) winning the first Minorstown Hurdle for trainer Con O’Keeffe, owner Tadhg O’Sullivan and jockey Danny Gilligan.

The winner had previously finished second on Thyestes Day at Gowran, and following this contest O’Keeffe commented: “She had a good point-to-point run, but became disappointing in the interim when she became free and it took us a while to get the hang of her.

“She is an honest mare and, even though she is by Saint Des Saints, she has a flat pedigree and her dam is by Martillo. Blacktype will be the ultimate aim, she is going the right way now and you’d never know she might be in the right place at the right time some day.”

Carlas Big Jim (9/2) credited amateur jockey Cal Shine with a third racecourse winner in the Kilmolash Handicap Hurdle, as the pair raced prominently and won by 10 lengths from Natural Breeze.

Afterwards winning trainer Louis Archdeacon said: “He was knocking on the door, is a good honest horse and Cal was fantastic and is great value for the 7lb (claim). I’d like to give the horse a break now as he has been busy and, if the ground goes, it’ll be a field of grass next for him and he’ll definitely be chasing next season.

“I’m delighted for his owner Derry Fitzpatrick who also had a winner on Tuesday for Brendan Walsh (Added Bonus) - we are all local to him and, in fairness, he always keeps his horses local. We have five or six horses to race, but I do a lot of breaking horses for people.”

TWO chases concluded the card with the penultimate Grand Novice Handicap Chase a thoroughly dramatic event and was won by probably the day’s fastest finisher, 12-year-old Mick Charlie.

The race took a dramatic turn after the final fence as Mick Charlie, which had raced well off the pace, powered home to lead inside the final furlong and eventually defeat Dutch Schultz and Junot into second and third.

The early leader Mount Frisco, Dundaniel and Itwasfate had indeed jumped that final fence upsides in front but, in an unlikely twist, dropped behind to finish fourth, fifth and sixth on the short run-in.

Winner Mick Charlie carries the colours of Thomas Coughlan and afterwards trainer’s son Declan Queally junior reported: “I said to Kevin (Sexton, winning jockey) beforehand that the other horses were likely to go mad (fast) on the ground. I hadn’t him as ready as I had him going to Tramore and I said to Kevin to ride him to run well and he is a genius at doing that.

“He tipped around, never panicked, came home well and you could see that the leaders were starting to walk coming to the last.

“He is a great horse who has now won five races and retains his enthusiasm as a 12-year-old. Kevin has come back from injuries and is a great rider who deserves his chance.”

The concluding race was less eventful with Hartur D’arc (11/10 favourite) winning easily for trainer Gavin Cromwell, jockey Keith Donoghue and owner Derek Kierans.

Afterwards Donoghue said: “That was his first run for Gavin and obviously he had plenty of experience. I popped out, kept it simple and hacked away on the (heavy) ground. He quickened up well to two out and did it well.

“We didn’t know much about him only from his form and this was a winnable race, but hopefully he can build on this.”