LEIGH Roche recorded a double at Tramore’s flat fixture on the third day of the August festival with his first success coming courtesy of By Your Side (15/2) in the Perennial Freight Handicap. 

The Lope De Vega gelding came from last to first to beat Yokkell by two and a half lengths.

Kieron Gammell’s five-year-old is trained by Gordon Elliott whose assistant Ian ‘Busty’ Amond remarked: “He is a grand dual-purpose horse for Kieron who always has something in the yard. He has been unlucky in a few decent hurdles and will keep mixing it now. Hopefully there might be a nice hurdle in him somewhere along the line.”

Double up

Roche completed his brace on Nostra Casa (11/1) in the Brennan’s Pharmacy Handicap.

Trained for the Tell Me Your Business Syndicate by Paul Flynn, the Dubawi gelding was handy throughout and led over three furlongs out to account for The Banger Doyle by two and a quarter lengths.

Roche commented: “The first furlong and a half is just about getting him to jump and travel. Even throughout the race he just doesn’t help you, he was behind the bridle and is just a lazy lad. Once you get him travelling and going forward he keeps finding for you.”

THE in-foal Butterfly Garden (13/2) again showed her liking for the undulations of Tramore when claiming the Strand Inn Dunmore East Handicap.

Successful on this card in 2022, the Awtaad mare tracked the leaders before taking over inside the final quarter-mile and held Paper Doll by half a length.

Trainer Kevin Prendergast bred the winner and owns her in partnership with his daughter Anne and Trevor McCormack.

“Kevin is an unbelievable man and I’m lucky to be in his company. He just told me to do the same as I did the last time she won here, keep it as simple as we can,” rider Gary Halpin revealed.

“She is not an overly big filly, she is plenty agile, and seems to cope with the track well. I’d say she hasn’t got many runs left, she is in foal to Phoenix Of Spain.”

Magical victory

The Ginger Wizard (9/4 favourite) was a ready winner of the O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey Maiden under Mikey Sheehy.

Runner-up at Killarney on his previous outing, the Calyx colt was fitted with cheekpieces for the first time. Having raced close to the pace, he hit the front under two furlongs out and went away to beat Kalkanli by eight and a half lengths.

Joseph O’Brien trains the three-year-old for Niall and Cathal Slevin.

“He handled the track well,” said Sheehy. “At Killarney the ground was a bit on the quicker side, but there was a bit of an ease in it today and he really enjoyed it.”

Best fractions

Gary Carroll got the fractions right on Best Law (7/2) who made most of the running and clung on for victory in the Core Bullion Traders Rated Race.

A winner on his penultimate start at Killarney, the blinkered son of Aclaim led after a furlong and was unpestered on the front end until the closing stages where he dug deep to hold fast-finishing Tanazadia by a head. 

Andrew Duff, stable representative for trainer Ger Lyons, said of the Gaelic Thoroughbreds-owned winner: “He’ll stay going down the handicap route and we’ll plot our course with him. At some stage he’ll be a nice dual-purpose horse. There is plenty of size about him, he gets a trip and he’s not slow either.” 

WAYNE Hassett was one of several jockeys who travelled south to Tramore after riding at the Curragh in the afternoon and the in-form apprentice was rewarded when Charlie Darling (13/2) took the Dan Cowman Handicap.

Hassett, who had been on target at headquarters when scoring on Goldmoyne, produced Dermot Murray’s four-year-old from off the pace to lead inside the final furlong, and the gelded son of Ultra defeated Tannery Park by a length and three-quarters.

Hassett said of the Gavin Cromwell-trained winner: “The instructions were to sit in behind the leaders but they went so quick and he was just a little bit off the bridle, minding himself. I gave him a little breather and then the boys in front of me were kind of dying off. I came on the wide outside and he picked up lovely. He loved the trip and I think the track sharpened him up.”

Hard work

While sent off the warm order favourite at odds of 4/7, the Jessica Harrington-trained Riviera Queen was made to work hard for her win in the Morris DIY Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.

Racing in third on the outer in the colours of Dan Kiely, the daughter of Camelot took much closer order with half a mile to race.

Pushed along into a share of the lead with just under two furlongs to go, the market leader had to pull out all the stops in the closing stages to beat Settlement by a neck.

“She didn’t handle the track a bit. She is a big girl and battled it out well,” jockey Keithen Kennedy reflected. She has a lovely big stride and is a gorgeous-moving filly. A nicer track will bring out the best side of her. That’s my 24th winner now and I have six more with my 7lb claim.”