JOHN Shinnick took the riding honours at this rescheduled midweek fixture, when partnering a 51/1 double aboard Grainne A Chroi and Bossofthebus.

Grainne A Chroi, trained by Marie Harding for Eileen O’Brien and John Harrington, returned to form to take the Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle in decisive fashion.

The 11/2 shot travelled well to lead at the penultimate flight and soon asserted to beat Twentyfourcarrot by an easy seven and a half lengths, with 1/2 favourite Karma d’Airy disappointing a further 19 lengths back in third.

“I knew I’d loads going down the hill and just didn’t want to get there too soon. She had plenty in the tank and I was delighted with her,” said Shinnick of the 11/2 winner.

“The last day was a blip. The yard was going through a bit of a quiet spell, but Marie’s horses have bounced back and she had a point-to-point winner over the weekend.”

Wheels on the bus

Bossofthebus also put a disappointing effort last time behind him in the Tipperary Handicap Hurdle, making all and just ridden out after the last to beat Elusive Guy by three and a half lengths.

“We fancied him the last day in Sligo, but the wheels came off the bus a bit - excuse the pun!” said Carrigtwohill trainer Terence O’Brien of the 7/1 winner.

“He seemed in good order again coming here today, but you couldn’t be confident after what he did in Sligo.

“I’m delighted for Ger (Finn) and Eamonn (Hickey), who are good supporters and Ger only lost his wife a couple of weeks ago, so it’s a good tonic for him. John comes into us twice a week and, for a 5lb claimer, is worth his weight in gold.”

Prices cut

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend suffered a couple of odds-on reverses with Bunting and Karma d’Airy, but did successfully team up when Funiculi Funicula justified 4/7 favouritism in the Monroe Maiden Hurdle.

The French import and Addragoole had the race between them from a long way out and the hot-pot was shaken up by Townend to go about five lengths ahead, when his nearest rival took a tired fall at the last, leaving him well clear to score by 17 lengths from Hitak.

“I thought we went a good gallop for the (soft) ground, and we were spread out the length of Clonmel. You are probably going quicker than you feel on him,” said the champion jockey, before adding: “Everything is very natural and very easy to him, and we like him a lot.”

Paddy Power cut the winner, who is owned in partnership by Michael O’Riordan and Seamus Hennessy, into 16/1 (from 33/1) for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and 20/1 (from 40/1) for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

THERE was no shortage of drama in the Munster Hurdle, where Beckett Rock (5/1) ultimately proved a somewhat fortunate three-quarters of a length winner in the hands of Rachael Blackmore from 5/6 favourite Bunting.

Townend did well to stay aboard the odds-on favourite, who stumbled badly on landing three out, but that took its toll, while Closutton stablemate Got Glory was produced to challenge, when falling at the second last.

“He got hurt after he won on debut at Gowran and Michael (O’Flynn, owner) has been really patient with him and it’s nice to see his patience being rewarded. Obviously, things fell his way, but he toughed it out and we’ll take it,” said trainer Henry de Bromhead.

Another win for Healy

Kevin Healy added to a flat win at Dundalk last year, when partnering his first jumps winner under rules aboard Milan Forth in the Rathronan Maiden Hunters Chase.

The Paul Flynn-trained gelding led entering the straight and soon took control to beat Magic Sadler by three and a quarter lengths.

“He’s a good horse and probably two and a half miles is his trip. He was quite keen and free there today, but his jumping was a lot slicker than before,” said Healy of the well-backed 9/2 chance.

“My grandad (Patrick Whyte) owns him and I’m very lucky to get to ride him in my first year. That’s my fifth winner. I’ve ridden two on the track and three in point-to-points.”

HILLSDALE took the other race over fences, the Jossestown Handicap Chase, and, in the process, added to an easy win at Naas last month.

The 7/4 favourite gave backers their only anxious moment when hitting three out, but asserted before the last under Keith Donoghue to beat Cheerful Chap by seven and a half lengths.

“It took him a long time to settle down and learn about racing. He was a bit of a lunatic, but lately he’s started to settle into it and he was very good, bar the third last,” said Philip Dempsey, who trains the Westerner gelding for Brian Pierce.

“We’ll probably keep him to around this two-mile, one-furlong trip, give him one more run and then go to either Fairyhouse or Punchestown.”

Falcon Park also followed up a recent success, with an impressive victory in the Lisronagh Handicap Hurdle. Patiently ridden by Niall Prendergast, he made smooth headway to lead two out and kept on well for an easy three lengths victory over Robindevidastar.

“He’s just in good humour at the moment. I’ve no idea why he’s hitting form, but he’s always shown more at home than he showed at the racecourse. When Niall rides him like that, he seems to enjoy it,” said Paul Hennessy, who trains the 9/1 winner for his wife Susan.