WESLEY Joyce has been making up for lost time since his return from serious injury this summer, and bagged a double when teaming up with Mick Mulvany at Navan on Wednesday.

Fratas was the star of the show in the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap, when securing a hard-fought success in the €20,000 contest.

The daughter of Fracas rattled off a four-timer in the mile event when striking at 13/2.

Joyce produced his mount to lead narrowly, early in the straight, but front-runner Perfect Poise rallied gamely.

Fratas had to dig deep to regain her advantage inside the final furlong for a neck win.

“She’s tough. The first two went some gallop and I thought they might run out of petrol but they didn’t,” said Mulvany afterwards. “She showed her toughness the whole way to the line. That’s her fifth win since she joined me and you wouldn’t know where we’d go after this. We’d be hoping we could get a bit of blacktype.

Lovely fellas

“The lads, Raymond (McMahon) and Martin, that own her are lovely fellas and they are very good to everyone in the yard.”

The pair had initiated the brace when the consistent Rathbranchurch gained an overdue win in the apprentice handicap, over the extended five furlongs.

Having hit the front under a furlong from home, the Buratino gelding stuck on well in the closing stages to record a half-length win over Gobi Star.

Mulvany trains the 7/1 winner for Finbarr Dardis and he said afterwards: “He’s been second four times this year. The owners are local so I’m delighted for them as they stuck with the horse all year, it’s great to get a win with him.

“Wesley is well worth his claim, I reckon he’s the best apprentice in the country. Things just didn’t work out for him, but they are now.”

Big money Euphoric makes winning start

ALL eyes were on Frankel colt Euphoric in the mile maiden on the card and the 1.9m guineas purchase got going late to make a winning debut.

Seamie Heffernan asked his mount to take closer order in the straight, but the 15/8 favourite took a while to find his stride.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt hit top gear in the closing stages of the final furlong, getting up on the line to pip Rocking Tree by a short-head.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said afterwards: “He was just ready to start and he’s a lovely colt to look forward to.

“He’ll be a lovely mile and-a-quarter, middle-distance horse. It’s grand to get him started, one run into him at least at two, and we’ll see how he progresses between now and the end of the year. He has still a bit to go mentally and physically.”

The Chris Timmons-trained Photosynthesis looks another that could step up in grade now after his win in the opening Arkle Bar Median Auction Maiden, over the extended five furlongs.

Well-backed

Colin Keane took the mount on the well-backed 15/2 shot (25/1 in morning) and the Aclaim colt got the better of Annie Edson Taylor by a neck after a good duel, with the front two pulling nicely clear.

“He did it very well, we’ve always liked him,” said Timmons, who trains the winner for his partner Joanne Lavery.

“When we bought him he was tiny, he looked like a little ball of a two-year-old but he just kept going through growth spurts. We gave him time and the patience has paid off.

“If we still have him there is a listed race in Newbury in a month’s time. Colin thought a step up to seven would be no problem.”

Red-letter day for Kennedy

THE 16-year-old Keithen Kennedy had a day to remember when partnering his first winner aboard the Jessica Harrington-trained Glamorously in the Slane Nursery Handicap.

The 25/1 shot came with a strong run to lead inside the final furlong and record a length-and-a-quarter success for the Glamour & Glory Syndicate.

Set up just a year ago by Tamso Doyle and Amber O’Grady, the syndicate had its first winner last week, when Bonbon won a maiden at Cork.

“I’m 16 and from Monasterevin. This is my dream ever since I could walk,” said Kennedy afterwards. “I started with Mrs Harrington two summers ago.

“The race worked out perfectly for me. The two in front went a nice gallop, I just sat in behind and took my time. She quickened away lovely for me and I’m very happy. That’s only my third ride.

“I’m in sixth year at the moment in school, in St Paul’s in Monasterevin, but I went in and rode out this morning before coming here.”

Ryan rules

James Ryan is an apprentice who has been making waves this season, and received plenty of praise from Eddie Lynam after his win on Heavenly Power in the sprint handicap.

The Sabina Power-owned gelding came to lead inside the final furlong, to record a convincing length-and-three-quarters win over Verhoyen.

“He’s very good and everyone is cottoning on to him now,” said Lynam of the winning jockey.

“I asked [my daughter] Sarah, who has ridden all three of them, and she said him. He was only 9/2, how bad does he have to run the last twice for him to be 9/1. He deserved it, he has run some good races this year.”

Solar breezes in

The decision to step Solar Breeze up to 10 furlongs reaped rewards in fine style in the Yellow Furze Handicap.

Billy Lee went for home a furlong and a half out on the Sheila Lavery-trained filly and she opened up in the closing stages to post a four-and-three-quarter length win.

“I’m delighted. She’s been finishing off her races really well, but has been slow to break, so I stepped her up in trip,” said Lavery, who trains the winner for the Royal Racing Club.

“I think at that pace she was much more in her comfort zone. She’s a lovely filly. She’s in the horses-in-training sale in Goffs and I’ll try and get another couple of runs into her before she goes.”

In the second division of the contest, trainer Pat Martin was pleased to get back into the winner’s enclosure with Patrick Street.

The Heeraat gelding also hit the front a furlong and a half out and the 28/1 shot stuck on well for Jack Kearney to score by two lengths.

“We’ve been knocking on the door for the last few weeks and it makes such a difference to get your head in front. When they are running well you have a chance,” said Martin.

“He ran great in Leopardstown earlier in the year. He blew the start a few times so we put a blanket on him, and a hood, and it seems to help him.”