FOXY Jacks (12/1) has long been a crowd favourite and he endeared himself further to his fans with a gutsy effort to repel the challenge of old rival Stealthy Tom in the €100,000 AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National Handicap Chase at Kilbeggan last Friday.

The Mouse Morris-trained gelding had previously been beaten by Stealthy Tom in the Connacht National and just before the last, it looked as if that younger rival had his measure again, but he stuck to his task gamely for Gavin Brouder, having made all the running in the three-mile-one-furlong contest.

The pair finished 14 lengths clear of the favourite Life In The Park and in this sort of form, the nine-year-old will be a force to be reckoned with in a Galway Plate, though his trainer isn’t 100% certain he will get into the race. This was Rachael Carthy’s gelding’s fourth career win, which includes a Punchestown Festival success in 2021.

“He’s always been a good horse but has just had some issues and is now back on track,” Morris said. “He ran a cracker in Roscommon the last day and that form has really worked out with the second here. The Plate is a possibility if he gets in. He’ll be on the borderline but after this he may get in.”

Neil Ryan rode his second winner since returning from a nine-month stint in Australia on the Noel Meade-trained Highland Charge (14/1) in the two-mile-three-furlong Writech Handicap Hurdle.

Racing prominently, he took it up shortly after the second last and was able to withhold the challenge of Weddell Sea, his only challenger, from here, with the pair of them coming nicely clear.

The Gigginstown-owned gelding won a Grade 2 novice hurdle last year but has failed to kick on from that. A representative of Meade reported to the stewards that the drop down in trip was the reason for an upturn in form, so it will be interesting to see where they go next.

IT has taken Michael O’Sullivan only a little over 500 rides to get rid of his claim and all his talent was on display as he got Hardwired (22/1) home for Ted Walsh in the two-mile-three-furlong Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey Maiden Hurdle.

He looked hopeless adrift of the leaders from three out but O’Sullivan allowed him to make his ground gradually into the race and his run to collar Aeros Luck on the run-in was timed to perfection. It was a first win for the Zorka Wentworth-owned gelding on his 22nd start.

“He’s a contrary old horse,” the winning rider said. “There is plenty of ability there but it’s just getting it out of him is the thing.

“They went plenty quick early and I kept him out wide on a bit of nicer ground. The horse falling in front of me actually sparked a bit of life into him. I was pulling and squeezing him to try and get him travelling. It was probably a weak enough contest but he deserved to get his day in front.

“The hard work starts now that my claim is gone but hopefully those big winners will stand to me and people will still put me up without the claim.”

JJ Slevin rode a double on the card which began with the Joseph O’Brien-trained, Gigginstown-owned Castra Vetera (16/5) in the opening KilbegganRaces.com Mares Maiden Hurdle. The eight-year-old raced prominently and soon had an outright lead in the two-mile-three-furlong contest. She looked in control going to the last but opened the door to her only challenger Gentle And Kind by jumping wildly to her left, before ultimately staying on stronger to the line.

As her rider pointed out, she has some smart form, having beaten the likes of Party Central and Royal Kahala in bumpers but she has clearly had a few problems. With a clear run, she may have a chance to live up to her potential.

Slevin’s second winner came more easily, through Martin Brassil’s Desertmore House (100/30) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.

The Bernard Carroll and Anthony Vaughan-owned gelding had some decent form over hurdles, including at this track, and jumped well on his chasing debut, making most of the running to see off Summer Tide by 10 lengths.

This was a smart performance and barring setbacks, the eight-year-old looks sure to rate better over fences than the 125 he hit over hurdles. It would be no surprise to see him back on this card in 12 months time in the feature contest.

THE 13-year-old Doran’s River (8/1) was a popular winner of the Follow Kilbeggan on Twitter Handicap Hurdle for James O’Sullivan and Philip Rothwell.

The Tom Doran-owned gelding was held up in the three-mile contest, but noticeably travelled well coming down the hill and latched onto the leader Tuff Days. The pair had a good battle from just before the last but the older horse proved tenacious and saw it out to win by a half-length.

His previous win had come at this course also, and you had to go back to July 2019 to find his last win before that, so he is clearly in fine form, his rider confirming that was his feel afterwards.

“He was nearly too enthusiastic and I was trying to take him back everywhere,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s great to see and fair play to all the lads at home and to Philip for getting a horse like this back in such good nick and enjoying life.

“He started to latch on passing horses after the second last. I was getting there plenty early but I didn’t want to disappoint him. I thought the rain was against him but he motored away through the ground, jumped brilliant and was good and tough at the line as well.”

The closing Kilbeggan Racecourse Beginners Chase went to Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead who combined with Lucky Zebo (10/11 favourite).

The Jamie Lawson Maher-owned gelding was another to make a winning debut over fences on the card and in doing so, recorded a hat-trick of wins. He always travelled well for Blackmore, took it up on the turn for home and comfortably held runner-up Pearl Of The West by six lengths.

Robbie Power, representing the yard, said afterwards that the rain that fell on the track was a big help and the gelding will almost certainly be able for longer trips than the two mile and three furlongs he raced over here.