THE best finish of the day came in the finale, the closing six-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase over just short of three miles when Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott runners duelled head to head from the last, with the favourite Sa Majeste (11/10) and Mark Walsh just edging out Shannon Royale and Sam Ewing by a short-head.

Earlier Jack Kennedy has taken a nasty fall from Cleatus Poolaw at the fence past the stands on the first circuit but was reported ‘sore’ but okay.

The French-bred winner raced in fourth and third after the faller departed and didn’t always jump with fluency, but he moved up to dispute with the always prominent Shannon Royale at the second last and just shaded the battle from the last to the line.

Frank Berry, for winning owner J.P. McManus, said: “Mark said he hurdled a few of them but he toughed it out well. He is a chasing type so hopefully will get better at it and we’re just glad to get his head in front for now.”

Joint-favourite battle

Racing opened with the TipperaryRaces.ie Maiden Hurdle over an extended two miles and the 13 runners were well strung out up the straight. Joint-favourite French Hill (2/1) joined fellow joint-favourite Moylussa before the turn into the straight and the pair then had it between them.

The Gavin Cromwell-trained French Hill looked to be travelling the best over the final two hurdles for Keith Donoghue and appeared to marginally lead after the last. But Moylussa (carrying 7lb more) proved a doughty rival and fought to the line under Sean O’Keeffe to get the verdict by a neck and give a first winner under rules to trainer Maike Magnussen, for owner Seamus McKeogh.

The Jukebox Jury gelding had two outings over hurdles in Tom Hogan’s name and his winning trainer said: “That was brilliant and I’m delighted for Seamus and the family, who have put a lot of belief in me. They have stuck with me so long and I believe this horse is much better than what he has shown so far.

“I’m from Germany, have been in Ireland nearly 13 years and have a show-jumping background

“I learned a lot from Mark Molloy (trainer) and then moved to Henry de Bromhead where I also learned a lot, so then jumped and did it on my own.

“I mainly focused on point-to-pointers, only have a couple of runners for the track and am based in Nenagh, in Tom Hogan’s yard. I have loads of young stock coming along and have plenty of good owners.

“Seamus and his family are from Ballina/Killaloe and I have a couple of young horses for them too so this is brilliant.”

“He’s still a big baby, he’s a chaser, it’s a learning curve. He’s not a two-miler, but any race is hard to win. There are no weak races in Ireland but I have a horse who can go places.”

THERE was a 19-runner field for the Follow Us On Facebook Handicap Hurdle over the extended two miles and seven were still in with chances coming to the second last.

The Robert Tyner-trained winner, Irish Impulse, Wardens Whisper and Moudan disputed the lead at the last but Ryan Treacy drove the Tyners’ 15/2 shot clear on the run-in to win by a length and three quarters as Duffys Hodey ran on for second. The winner was following up a Clonmel handicap chase win at the beginning of the month.

Treacy said: “Robert and Philip (Enright) do a good job schooling, Philip is off today but I’m delighted to pick up the opportunity. I was supposed to be at a wedding in Donegal!”

Tyner reported: “It is coming together for him and he has got confidence after his win the last day. Driving through Mitchelstown today I was worried when I saw six inches of snow but when we got here, there wasn’t as much and the ground was nice and wasn’t deep.

“I thought he wouldn’t have been good enough to win over hurdles with the way he had been running but, until this morning when the programme was updated, there was no chase race for him.

Easy win

Darragh O’Keeffe and Henry de Bromhead’s good run continued in the 20-runner Visit Tipperary Maiden Hurdle over an extended two and half miles, when Taponthego (1/1) ran out a nine-length winner in the colours of the Both Sides Of The Water Syndicate.

This was an easy win, the five-year-old making all to get off the mark on his second racecourse start, with the well-backed McLaurey well held in second and six lengths back to the third.

Afterwards, de Bromhead’s assistant Robbie Power reported: “I’m delighted with that and it is great for the lads who have been very patient with him and they are now getting rewarded: he had been declared a few times and went to the races, but he didn’t run because the ground was too quick.

“He had a lovely hurdling debut in Wexford when he was beaten by a very good horse and stepping up in trip really suited him today. He is a nice horse to look forward to. Chasing will be his game but is entitled to do a bit more over hurdles this season.”

Shraheen and The Nagger Reidy had the two and a half mile @tipperaryraces Novice Handicap Hurdle between them from after the second last and had a good battle up the run-in before Sharaheen and Niall Moore got the verdict by a neck.

“I suppose he went the scenic route but not getting penalised for Kilbeggan (disqualified for banned substance in June) was a help as it turned out,” trainer Philip Fenton said of the Thomas R Coleman-owned son of Mount Nelson.

“He is a lovely big horse with a great attitude and a lovely way of going and jumps very well. You’d say he’ll jump fences in time and is from a great family.”

ODDS-ON favourite Mirazur West disputed the lead from four out with Westport Cove in the Tipperary Beginners Chase over an extended two miles but it was Keith Donoghue on the Gavin Cromwell-trained Only By Night (9/2) who came between them at the last with a good jump sending her to the lead.

The Affinisea mare then stamped her authority on the race, going clear to win by six and a half lengths for Mrs J.M. Russell.

She earned a 25/1 quote for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase from the sponsors.

Gavin Cromwell said: “She jumped brilliant and is very good to jump although I thought we were in bother going along the side but she found plenty for pressure.

“We won’t lose the run of ourselves but it was a good performance and she will go further too. There is a nice programme for mares here and she could also travel to the UK too, so we’ll see.”

Shock result

Eighteen lined up in the Junction Mares Handicap Hurdle over an extended three miles and it brought a shock result with Juniper Hill (33/1) coming through on the inner up the straight for Sean Flanagan to take it off Stellar Symphony at the last and go on to score by a nose in a battle with Milanaway. Robyndeglory finished fastest to take third on the stands’ side, a half-length back.

Winning trainer Paul Nolan said of the

Moonlight Syndicate-owned daughter of Affinisea: “She ran well in a bumper here but then disappointed, although had a layoff after her last run.

“We thought she’d improve for today’s run, running for the first time over three miles, so rode her for luck. We were worried she wouldn’t get home so we said we’d mind her and Sean snuck her into the race lovely.

“She is owned by a local syndicate, mainly from Adamstown, so I’m delighted for them.”