TRAINER Henry de Bromhead and jockey Rachael Blackmore combined for Clonmel doubles on Thursday, with Gentleman Joe and Lucky Zebo.

The Grand National-winning pair began by winning the Camida Perfect Chemistry Novice Hurdle with Robcour’s well-backed Gentleman Joe (5/2), which led at the last and eventually got the better of Stuzzikini by two and a quarter lengths.

“He’s a big fella, and he takes a bit of pulling together,” de Bromhead said. “When he hit the front, he was a bit idle, but Rachael said he did everything right.

“He’s still a young horse and we’re only getting there now with him. We’ve thrown him in at the deep end a couple of times, and he’s possibly better going right than left.

“We’ll look for something similar now and just try to get him to progress along.”

Two hours later Lucky Zebo justified strong 11/5 favouritism to win the Talbot Hotel Clonmel Handicap Hurdle, in Shawiya’s Triumph Hurdle winning colours.

De Bromhead reported: “Rachael was brilliant on him and I’m delighted for the Mahers who are great supporters of ours and had a lot of good horses over the years. It would be great if he could get somewhere near them and we’re progressing.

“We’ll keep to handicaps, he won in Kilbeggan previously on nice ground so will run through the summer and he is a real chaser as well. I’m delighted with him.”

Racing began with the Tote Always SP Or Better (Mares) Maiden Hurdle, which was won by the Gavin Cromwell-trained Je T’ai Porte (4/1) for jockey Keith Donoghue and the Cullen family’s Poetry In Motion Syndicate.

“She is not straightforward and was leaning out left the whole time, but I’m hoping when she steps up in class and takes a lead, it might suit her more,” Cromwell stated.

“She settled away and getting the freshest ground helped as well. She jumps well, makes a nice shape and she might go into handicap company now.

CHELTENHAM Festival winner Colreevy’s half-sister Old Ground made a winning debut for Willie and Patrick Mullins in the concluding Next Meeting June 9th Mares Bumper, scoring by 11 lengths from Pipers Boreen.

“She has a fabulous pedigree and the Flynns are super breeders,” Patrick Mullins reported. “We thought she would do that on what she was doing at home and she was very good.

“She fell asleep with me in the middle of the race and got very behind the bridle but that’s not a bad thing.

“At home she travels away but even when I got up on her here in the parade ring, it took a while to get up on her. Colreevy was the same so that mightn’t be a bad thing.

“We’ll see what we’ll do now whether we give her a break or go for a winners’ bumper. She has a lot of ability and is definitely one to look forward to, in summer or winter.”

Byrnes

Evesham Road landed a sizeable gamble in the Clonmel Racecourse Maiden Hurdle for trainer Charles Byrnes after the penalties and suspensions incurred by his runner Ellaat at Gowran on Wednesday. Evesham Road was a 66/1 chance this morning and opened 10/1 on the show, before returning 5/1 and scoring by a length and a half, under Philip Byrnes, from Napper Tandy.

Byrnes later said “I didn’t have him in point-to-points, but the owners (John Lane and family) have been with me on and off for a long time and he ran well in Mallow, in a point-to-point bumper.

“He was getting the allowance today and is brilliant to jump. He is a grand, fun horse and I’d say he will be kept going. I’d say two and a half miles is his ideal trip and as time goes on he might stay better.”

There were two 16/1 winners beginning with Gordon Elliott’s As Tears Go By, which landed the Tote Fantasy In Your Stable Handicap Hurdle for owners Caren Walsh and Dee L’estrange and jockey Corey McGivern.

McGivern commented: “There wasn’t a whole pile of pace, so we said we wouldn’t complicate things and let him bowl away in front. He is very game, picked it up racing down the back and got rolling early and stayed on really well.

“He has been flying at home and was fit and ready to run. He was very good.”

TRAINER Martin Hassett was in top form following Battle Of Ridgeway’s 16/1 success in the Camida The Source Handicap Hurdle (div II), which scored in the colours of Deirdre Hassett and under jockey Brian Hayes.

The son of Califet was produced from mid-field to lead in the closing stages and beat Roman Parish by a length and three quarters.

Hassett reported: “I nearly choked when I saw the handicapper gave him 94 and rang him to say he was raving, but after the phone conversation I thought I had Arkle! He was right and I was wrong.

“We left instructions to Brian (Hayes) but told him not to force him and to ride him wherever he was happy.”

“We thought he was going to be our retirement fund and went for point-to-points, but he was just immature and it didn’t work out.

“It is hard to win first time in a handicap, but I thought he did it well and the horses are just flying at the moment. Maybe he could yet be the horse we thought he was.”

The opening division of the Camida The Source Handicap Hurdle was won by the Eoin McCarthy-trained Rathnaleen Kal, which improved one placing on a recent debut-handicap runner-up effort, when scoring under jockey Gary Noonan.

“She is a lovely filly and I’m delighted for John (Moylan, owner) who has had an awful lot of patience with her,” McCarthy said.

“We thought a lot of her but she picked up a lot of knocks and injuries, but thankfully put it all together today.

“She had a solid run in her first handicap the last day and hopefully can build on it. She’ll stay racing on safe ground during the summer.”