THE two and a quarter length victory of Alonzo under Dylan Browne McMonagle in the mile and five-furlong maiden completed a treble in the final three races on the Sligo card for trainer Joseph O’Brien.

Fourth at Cork on his previous outing and sent off the 11/8 favourite, the son of Frankel took the lead on the approach to the straight and stayed on well to fend off the challenge of Man Of Worth.

The Letterkenny rider said of Sun Bloodstock’s winner: “He was entitled to do that, I thought, as it was a nice maiden in Cork and he ran a blinder. He’s come forward plenty, got to the line good and will be a nice stayer hopefully.”

Browne McMonagle had earlier guided O’Brien’s 4/9 favourite Intellotto to victory in the Hazel Wood Maiden for older horses, making all the running to account for Firebrand by a length and three-quarters.

Hurdler

The 135-rated hurdler is owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

“He’s a lovely big horse,” said the winning rider. It was fairly plain sailing for him today. I just let him bowl away and he stayed at it good. He was only just doing what he needed to.

“I think he’s probably a better horse up in better grade and with something to follow.

“He’s got plenty of speed, he’s not a slow horse, but he’s going to have no problem getting a mile and a half. Hopefully they’ll have a good campaign with him on the flat as well as over hurdles.”

Overcame trouble

The first leg of the O’Brien treble was the Kevin Blake-owned Carlo Bianconi (16/5 favourite) who came from off the pace, and overcame some trouble in running, to win the Web The Tool Company Handicap.

Once pulled to the outer in the straight, the Galiway gelding picked up well to beat Pinball Wizard by a length and a quarter

Rider Wayne Hassett said: “To be honest, the race didn’t go as I wanted but it worked out in the end. I wanted to jump and be box seat but it didn’t happen.

“It suited him up here, he didn’t know where he was, and he was travelling a lot better for me today. I got into a small bit of trouble in the straight but once I got him out and got by everyone, he ran around a bit in front but kept at it to the line.

“He was a bit disappointing over a mile and a half the last day but maybe when he smartens up he can go that bit further.”

THE Ciaran Murphy-trained Castleheath took a significant step forward from his debut sixth at Navan to win the Rosses Point Caravan Park Maiden.

Easy to back and sent off 15/2, the Elzaam colt led from halfway and battled well for Ben Coen to see off Celestial Reign by a nose after a terrific tussle in the closing stages

“He’s a lovely, tough, honest horse and I’m very happy with that,” said Murphy.

“Obviously it’s a hard track when you’ve little experience but he handled it well and got the job done. Ben was very good on him.

“I’d a horse like him last year, Bottler’secret, and he’s very much in the same mould. We left him on the side as a two-year-old for this job and he’s a nice horse going forward.

“The Slevins (Niall and Cathal) are local to me and this is the first horse they’ve had with me, so I’m delighted for them.”

On her first start outside of maiden company, Sheen Falls Time (15/2) ran out a comfortable winner of the Enda McGoldrick Plant & Agri Hire Handicap.

Trained on the Curragh by John O’Donoghue for Martin Wasylocha, the daughter of Fastnet Rock tracked the leaders under Nathan Crosse before coming through in the straight to account for So Diligent by three and three-quarter lengths.

“I was looking forward to the drying weather with her,” remarked O’Donoghue.

“Being drawn one, Nathan was able to slot her in and he just waited to strike. She’s a tenacious filly and rallied the whole way to the line.

“We were quietly confident, we had her in a weak race. She’s a big strong filly and hopefully there’s a nice summer ahead of her.”

Lover wins the ‘Land’ battle

LAND Lover (9/2) showed a willing attitude when battling back bravely under Joey Sheridan to take the Decoclip Construction Company Handicap.

The Denis Hogan-trained gelding was smartly away and soon in front before being narrowly headed on the approach to the straight.

With the rail to help, the Enduring Love Syndicate’s three-year-old rallied to lead again inside the final furlong and then held another offspring of Land Force, Layoftheland, by three-quarters of a length.

Sheridan said: “He just sidestepped out of the stalls the last day at Dundalk. We thought if we got him up there today, he should do something like that.

“He had a good look when he hit the front in the last 50 yards so there should be a bit of improvement in him.”

There were no claims for any of the runners in the Yeats Country Claiming Race which was won by the Matthew Smith-trained Eruption (14/1).

Third in a handicap at this track on her previous start, Michael Ellis’ five-year-old raced close to the pace before coming through to lead two furlongs out and kept on well to hold Beaumadier by half a length.

Winning rider Declan McDonogh said: “I jumped okay, got a nice trail into it and she kept going well. The bit better ground than the last day helped her last it out.

“She was genuine, the blinkers helped and course form is a help around here.”