RAUZAN (2/1) brought up a hat-trick in good style in the featured Charles and Kathleen Caldwell Memorial Rated Novice Hurdle.

Held up by Phillip Enright in the four-runner contest, the son of Australia moved ominously well in second behind market leader Disco Dancer on the approach to the last and eased past her on the run-in to score readily by 12 lengths.

Eoin Doyle said of his mother Pauline’s four-year-old, who had won here last month after getting off the mark at Tramore in May: “I suppose the conditions of the race and the weights suited.

“He’s a horse that travels well and stays well which is a good attribute to have. He’s a dual-purpose horse and he is only rated 61 on the flat, so I might look at the flat as well.

“He’s a horse we bought out of Mick Halford’s and was well recommended by Mick, fair play to him.”

First win

Doyle doubled up with the Hugh Morgan-ridden Scottish Dancer (17/2) who gained his first win over jumps in the Margaret & Shaun Harte Welcome Sidharth & Rashmi Singh From The Marwari Horse Society Handicap Hurdle.

Twice a winner on the flat when trained in Britain, the son of Highland Reel improved from mid-division to dispute the lead from two out and forged clear after the last to beat Mrs Biddle by a length and a half.

Doyle said of Mrs Christina Hughes’ five-year-old: “He’s been running on soft ground and probably wants a bit of better ground.

“He travelled well here the last day and fell at the third-last - Finny Maguire rode him and he thought he had plenty of horse left.

“Banking on that, we were hoping for a good run but he stayed at it well, in fairness. We did think he would run a nice race.”

THE ITBA Mares Maiden Hurdle produced a cracking finish with three of the protagonists in with every chance on the run-in

Hey Whatever (11/4), who had taken a tumble on her previous outing at Cork, was prominent throughout and Sam Ewing sent her on after the second last.

The daughter of El Kabeir, trained by Gordon Elliott for David Maughan, Gerald King, Conor Brett and Nick Courtney, wasn’t foot-perfect at the last and was pressed up the hill by She Can Do It and Kilrush Lady. She had enough in reserve to hold the former by half a length.

Ewing, for whom this was an eighth winner since jumping resumed in Ireland after a two-week break, said: “She was unlucky at Cork, where she winged the last and just landed a bit steep. She’s a good jumper.

“I wanted to drive her on plenty early today. I kind of gave her a kick from two out because I knew all she would do is stay.”

Clear-cut success

Shinnhill (7/2) enjoyed himself in the Cosy Roof (C&G) Maiden Hurdle as he posted a clear-cut success over the extended two miles and a furlong.

Trained locally by Neil McKnight for his breeder Mrs Denise Kernaghan, the son of Conduit tracked the leaders throughout and went on approaching the last to score by a widening nine and a half lengths from Southey.

Jockey Alex Harvey said: “He’s a nice horse and credit to Neil, he has done a great job with him.

“He jumped like a buck and travelled, coming to the last I had a double-handful.”

Steps storms to his second win

STEPS In The Sand (6/1) followed up a recent win at Sligo when taking the Quinn Estate Agents Handicap Hurdle under Eoin Walsh.

Trained for the Zoom Buddies Syndicate by Cian Collins, the five-year-old appeared held when ridden behind the leaders approaching the last but stormed up the hill to lead inside the final 100 yards. A length and three quarters was the margin of victory over The Vegas Raider.

Collins said: “I thought if she handled the track the hill finish would play to her strengths.

“Good ground and the stiff finish definitely helped. I think over further, she will be better again.”

Third over course and distance in June, Ollie La Ba Ba (7/2) went two places better in the Plus 2 Print Remembering Tony Oakes MBE Maiden Hurdle.

The Champs Elysees gelding led from early but looked vulnerable as market leader River Tara moved into his slipstream between the final two flights.

It was the winner who found more up the hill, though, and he pulled clear to account for River Tara by six lengths.

With trainer Eoin McCarthy leading up, jockey Gary Noonan said of the Sean Maguire-owned winner: “His run here the last day was very good.

“I kept it simple and I knew my lad was fit and would stay. He was second to Black Bamboo in Cork early in his career. I think he is a three-mile chaser in the making.”

Polished amateur

Finny Maguire has been seen to good effect in recent weeks and the polished amateur got on the scoresheet again when newcomer Blacksmiths Forge (12/1) came from well off the pace to land the Download The New Tote App Flat Race.

Trained by Gerry Keane for George Blake, the daughter of Kalanisi was fifth entering the final quarter mile and stayed on well to gradually reel in the veteran Cap Fornat for a three-parts-of-a-length success.

Keane said: “She was difficult to break, she was broken when we got her. She was hard to handle when we got her first.

“She has settled down a lot in the last few weeks. We brought her to a schooling day over a mile and a half in Navan and she did show a nice bit. We thought she would be all right.

“She just gallops and gallops, and the further she goes the better. That is Finny’s first ride for me. Joey Dunne normally rides ours and is away on holidays. Finny rang me looking for the ride.”