HAVING ridden four winners the previous weekend, Sean Flanagan continued his blistering start to the new campaign, as he came away with a brace at this well-attended Bettyville fixture.

Successful over the course and distance last month, Kiltealy Park (10/3 drifted from 5/2), with Flanagan again on board, impressively followed-up in the Visit Wexford Mares Handicap Hurdle.

Owned by the Browne Bros Partnership, the Paul Nolan-trained five-year-old got to the front two out and soon went on, eventually coming home 10 lengths clear of runner-up Pana To Milan.

“She was good today. Sean said she jumped better than she did the last day,” Nolan’s brother James divulged.

“After she won her maiden, we saw this race and we thought that if Andrew (Shaw, handicapper) gave her a chance that this was the place to go.”

Flanagan doubled his tally aboard the well-supported Mahler Appeal (9/2 from 14s early) in the T.C. Cullen Memorial Handicap Chase.

Overdue success

Gaining an overdue success after many placed efforts, the Garrett Power-trained eight-year-old made virtually all in the colours of the Fiddlersgreen Syndicate.

In a definite lead from four out, the chesnut victor was ridden entering the straight and soon established a healthy advantage, keeping on well to score by 12 lengths.

“We went a nice gallop and to be fair to him he battled it out all the way to the line. He’d stay all day,” Flanagan disclosed.

Partnering 5/2 favourite Tranquil Sea in the Support The Irish Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap Hurdle, Flanagan had to settle for third behind reserve Plain Or Battered (5/1).

While he finished a place behind the market leader over the course and distance last month, a swing in the weights helped the Philip Rothwell-trained victor reverse the form.

Tussle

Never far from the pace under Conor Owens, the Mahler bay had a good tussle with Cloudy Fountain in the straight and just three-quarters of a length separated them at the line.

There was a sting in the tail for Owens, as he picked up a four-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency.

“He is a winter horse and he got heavy ground today. He’ll probably get a break now and come back in the winter to go over fences,” Rothwell, who trains the winner for David Norris, Fergal Norris and Noel Dooly, commented.

JOHN McConnell registered a cross-card brace which was highlighted by the success of Dreal Deal (5/2 from 7/2) in the feature Poolcourt Novice Chase.

A Grade 2 winner over flights when in the care of Ronan McNally, the nine-year-old recorded his first success for current connections at Down Royal last month.

Sent straight to the front by Simon Torrens, the Arvico bay made all and readily stretched clear from two out, coming home eight lengths to the good in the colours of Mark Devlin, Philip Smith, Nigel O’Hare and Claire Wylie.

McConnell, who was at Auteuil to see stable star Mahler Mission finish a highly creditable fourth in the French Champion Hurdle, was earlier on the mark at Navan with Stanhope.

“He was mightily impressive, he was a class horse back in the day,” Torrens enthused.

Jumped great

“I was always happy, he jumped great and done it easy. Hopefully he can kick on from here.”

Gavin Cromwell was another to complete a cross card double, with One Night Standard (11/8 favourite) the first leg of his brace in the opening Wexford Racecourse Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Fresh from a treble the previous evening at Kilbeggan, Keith Donoghue steered this Santana Syndicate-owned five-year-old to an easy four-length success.

“She done it well. It was an unplaced maiden and she had a good enough run the last day,” Donoghue reflected. “I’d say she’d want it a bit better than soft.”

TEAMING up with fellow Cork men, Darragh O’Keeffe came away with a brace as he won both divisions of the Ambrex Switchgear Handicap Hurdle.

The talented Doneraile native struck first aboard A Nod To Getaway for Paul O’Flynn, with this seven-year-old coming in for plenty market support.

Sent off a 4/1 chance (from 10s), the Denis Goold-owned bay wasn’t fluent at times but improved to lead from the second last, and was driven out to hold off the late surge of Rightfolksplease by a neck.

“Paul thought he’d run a big race. He wasn’t really travelling that great early on, so I pulled him out for fresher ground and he started travelling,” O’Keeffe said. “He jumped the second last well and missed the last but thankfully the line came in time.”

There was another exciting conclusion to the second division, with the Mick Winters-trained Junot (9/2 from 11/2) getting up in the final strides.

Settled behind the leaders, the David Spratt-owned victor was ridden in second on the approach to the last and kept on best, prevailing by a neck. Breagagh had to settle for the runner-up berth, dead-heating with Fromheretoeternity. “He was after running well in the winter, so he appreciated the slow conditions and got the job done,” O’Keeffe remarked.

Rounding off a fruitful afternoon for Rebel County handlers, Jonathan Sweeney’s well-backed debutante Divaboriva claimed the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares INH Flat Race.

The 50/1 on offer the previous evening was quickly taken, with the Kingston Hill five-year-old eventually going off at just 16/5 in the colours of owner/breeder John Hosford. Positioned behind the leaders by promising young amateur Adam Ryan, the grey was pushed along on the approach to the straight and found plenty, getting the better of Amanha (7/4 favourite) by two and a half lengths.“She was doing everything well and improved immensely in the last three weeks,” Sweeney revealed. “We quietly fancied her and she is a nice mare going forward.”