THE Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Chase over two miles, three and a half furlongs was the most valuable race on the card with €12,390 to the winner.

It produced a terrific finish as Hurricane Georgie (10/11 favourite) got up close home to head Bella Bliss by three-quarters of a length at the post.

Bella Bliss had made most of the running but Bonnie Kellie looked to be going better turning in, with Hurricane Georgie being pushed along in third.

Between the last two fences, Bonnie Kellie’s effort petered out and Bella Bliss looked to have gained the measure of her two rivals. But Sam Ewing came with a sustained run on her inside up the run-in to get up close home, with six lengths back to Bonnie Kellie in third.

Winning trainer Gordon Elliott was absent, and Ewing said afterwards of Pioneer Racing’s mare: “She always comes home very well in her races and to be honest I was half-confident turning-in that she would get there. She has some great form behind some good horses and she always flies home. She is very clever and jumps brilliantly.”

Blackmore and de Bromhead

The PAQIT Beginners Chase over two miles, three and a half furlongs went to Mayor’s Walk (6/1) for Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead.

The Walk In The Park five-year-old is owned by Stephen McCarthy, John Delaney and Thomas James Kelly. Despite appearing to have her ground taken by the front-running favourite Maidenstreetprince and Philip Byrnes as they raced after the third last to the turn for home, she travelled well into the straight and was sent clear by Blackmore.

Fast over the second last, she had to be kept up to her work over the last but was always holding the challenge of Moonovercloon, winning by a length and three-quarters. The stewards found Byrnes was in breach of Rule 214 in that he had ridden carelessly, and having considered his record in this regard (second offence), suspended him for four racedays.

“We were hoping she’d take to fences and she really did, so it was great to get her fences’ campaign off to that start. Her jumping is a big asset to her,” Blackmore said.

“I think she could be progressive and hopefully fences will bring out the best in her.”

RACING opened with the CUBE Handicap Chase over two miles, one and a half furlongs, and 3/1 favourite General Clermont ran out a decisive nine-length winner for Gavin Brouder and trainer Davy Fitzgerald. Clear from after three out, a big leap at the last sealed the result for Derek Mara’s gelding with Barbaha Queen taking second.

Brouder later commented: “He is hard on himself and you can’t really fight with him or grab hold of him, as he has a mind of his own and does things himself.

“When you don’t fight with him, he is very straightforward and does relax but he was also down in grade and down in trip today. The better ground helped a lot. Davy has done a great job training him.”

There were still four in contention as they came to the last in the D Pack Handicap Chase over two mile and three and a half furlongs and Kilmacurkin looked to have clinched it with a fine leap. But the Mick Winters-trained Crowsatedappletart (13/2) who jumped the obstacle in fourth, came through on the run-in to snatch victory under Shane Fitzgerald for owner Paul Mullins by three-quarters of a length.

“He finished well to win with Rachael (Blackmore) here in the past and this man (Fitzgerald) ‘played’ him away today,” Winters said.

“Darragh O’Keeffe rode him the last day at Downpatrick when he said he didn’t like facing the hill and today, facing the first, Shane said he seemed to lose his bottle for a few strides. He likes this track though and was only rated 81.”

Winters was asked to account for the improvement and stated that the better surface today may have helped to bring about the apparent improvement in form, and the stewards noted the explanation given. Cian Quirke suffered a suspected wrist injury in his fall from Fly De Megaudais.

Three in the hunt

There were five non-runners in the two miles, six and a half furlongs Ei Electronics Beginners Chase, meaning only six went to post. Just three were still in with a shout as they turned into the straight with the long-time leader What Path giving way to the strong travelling Reverend Hubert (10/11 favourite) under Philip Byrnes. He quickly had the measure of his rivals and jumping the last two well, the James Flaherty-owned chesnut was not extended to come home lengths clear of Stuzzikini. It was a fifth win for the consistent six-year-old.

“He had schooled very well and the distance and the ground were a big thing for him. He is a fine horse and will keep going for the summer,” Byrnes said, “We’ll look to Galway.”

‘THE Banks Of My Own Lovely Lee’ was sung in the winner’s enclosure by the delighted winning owners, from the TerenceOBrien Racing Syndicate after their Kilmurray Jj took the REA Dooley Group Handicap Chase over two miles, six and a half furlongs.

Towards the rear for much of the contest, John Shinnick’s mount still had plenty to do after three out as Chainofconsequence raced four lengths clear.

Kilmurry Jj, the 2/1 favourite, then closed with Cosmic Blizzard coming to two out as the leader ran out of steam. He then had to avoid the loose Electric Dreamer, who ran left and then right across the leaders and gave the advantage back to Cosmic Blizzard, before Kilmurry Jj rallied again to get there by half a length.

Winning trainer Terence O’Brien: “This is what racing needs and we’d encourage more (syndicates) if we could. They get as much of a kick out of it as winning a big race.

“The syndicate has been self-financing as Mahler’s Dollar was their first horse and he won them €40,000, so then we bought Emancipator with that money. With the prize money he won, we bought this horse and there’s still money in the kitty.

“We buy horses with form as it is very hard to go the other way to buy store horses for €50,000.”

Regarding the race, he added: “He was lucky three or four times as a horse fell in front of him at one stage and then the loose horse came across him. But he did very well to win it.

“He still has a nice mark over hurdles so we’ll make use of that later on.”

Mullins in the last

The concluding IMS Integrated Media Solutions Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong and a half went to the Willie Mullins stable with Surf Club for owner Malcolm Denmark.

The eight-year-old was adding to a Tramore beginners’ chase win in April and travelled from fourth into the straight under Sean O’Keeffe to hit the front at the second last. His task was simplified when the still in with a shout Sphagnum fell at the last, bringing down Nazine, while Broken Ice also lost his chance with a last fence error.

O’Keeffe said: “In fairness to him he is a great jumper and has two runs over fences, and two wins.

“Going to the last fence, I thought I was holding him (Sphagnum) and I knew with a good jump that my lad was going to stay going.

“He had been running on heavy ground during the winter and in fairness Willie has kept him in and it has paid dividends.”

The meeting was officially to begin on good to yielding (Good in places; watered) but was changed to Good (Good to firm in places) after the first and changed again to good to firm after the fourth. There were 28 non-runners on the card – most of whom were due to ‘unsuitable ground’.