STEALTHY Tom lived up to his name when coming with a well judged run under Mark McDonagh to claim the featured Tote Connacht National at Roscommon on Monday.

The Yeats gelding stalked the leaders in the three-miler before launching his challenge two from home. He got the better of front-runner Foxy Jacks on the run to the last, posting a cosy length-and-a-quarter win in the colours of J.P. McManus.

The 100/30 shot was recording back-to-back victories after a win at Killarney last month and trainer Enda Bolger said afterwards: “That was nice, he got a lovely ride from Mark. He’s a progressive fella and as I said the last day, I can’t wait to get him back to Punchestown again for the La Touche next year.

“Obviously the three miles was what we came for, he only barely failed in at Killarney by a nose over two-and-a-half so the three was going to suit him. He wants nice ground as well.”

Double

McDonagh went on to bag a double on the card when he gave Rebel Rose a clever ride in the Kepak Handicap Hurdle.

He charted his own route up the inner in the two-and-a-half mile handicap and the Mark Fahey-trained mare kept on well from the last to beat Volantis by two lengths.

Fahey said of the 4/1 winner: “Mark gave her a brilliant ride. My plan was to go wide but he said ‘no I’m going down the inside’ so I left him to it.

“I’m delighted for the lads that own her (Swords Bloodstock). I don’t know what we’ll do now, we were going to kick on over fences but we might give her another spin over hurdles.”

Philip Rothwell has his string in fine form and Only One Plan gave him his second winner in two days when claiming the second division.

James O’Sullivan came to dispute before the second last on the 9/2 shot and he stayed on best on the run-in to score by three parts of a length over Presenting Lad.

“The horse deserved it and the owner deserves it as well,” said Rothwell. “Last year he ran well in a hurdle or two and picked up a little injury. Michael Cawe is from Ballinrobe so we’ll see if there is a hurdle up there for him a little bit later in the year.”

JOHN Ryan described Lucid Dreams as “the best I’ve ever trained” after his easy victory in the rated novice hurdle.

Liam Quinlan held the 11/8 favourite up in the two-and-a-half mile contest before coming to lead after the third last flight. The Arcadio gelding didn’t need to engage top gear as he went on to record an easy four-length win over Lady Of The Vale.

“He’s a fair horse, the best I’ve trained anyway. Hopefully he’ll be lucky,” said Ryan.

“He’ll have to up his game again the next day. He can go to three miles or go back to two, it doesn’t matter. Whether he runs between now and Galway I don’t know, maybe in another novice hurdle somewhere.”

Gordon Elliott continued his flying start to the new campaign with a first and last race double on the card.

Only three went to post in the opening Castlerea Novice Chase and Lieutenant Highway made all under Danny Gilligan in the two-miler.

The 11/8 shot kicked on over the third last to settle matters and post a cosy nine-and-a-half length win over 5/6 favourite Roseys Hollow.

In-form claimer Gilligan, in the colours of Michael Hanrahan, said afterwards: “He can be a small bit keen and I said I’d try and keep it simple, jump off and try and get him to settle.

“Over the first couple he was sticky enough but once he warmed up into it I thought he jumped well.”

Harry Swan did the steering on Weseekherthere in the concluding bumper and the Elusive Pimpernel filly stayed on well in the closing stages to get the job done as 11/4 favourite.

She led over two furlongs from home to post a length-and-a-quarter win over Ayiko.

The winner is owned by Dee L’Estrange and Caren Walsh and Swan said of her afterwards: “She’s a tough filly. I probably didn’t go quick enough on her, I probably should have made a bit more use of her.”

“To be fair to her she stayed going and a step up in trip will probably do her no harm.

“I think she’ll improve again off today and hopefully she can win a few races.”

THE colours of 1999 Galway Hurdle winner Quinze were carried to success by Aussie Warrior as the 16/1 shot gave Thomas Hughes his first winner as a licence holder.

The Australia gelding, backed from as big as 40/1, made all in the four-year-old maiden hurdle and stayed on strongly in the closing stages for a four-and-a-quarter length win.

Hughes, a son of Quinze’s trainer Pat Hughes, was leading up his charge and rider Cian Quirke said: “He’s a flat horse and probably got a bit sick of the flat so they changed up games with him.

“He was a bit free in behind on his last two runs so they said to jump out and, if he settled and got his own way in front, they knew he had the ability.

“He jumped brilliant, never stopped and it took me a while to pull him up, so he should be a nice horse for the summer.”

John McConnell’s Prioritise came good over timber in her third handicap start when claiming the first division of the opportunity handicap hurdle over two miles.

Ben Harvey produced the 12/1 shot (33/1 in morning) to dispute two from home and she stayed on well to assert on the run-in for a two-and-a-half length win over Atlantic Wonder.

“Not every horse is running the way I’d like them to so it’s nice to get a winner,” said McConnell. “We put the tongue-tie back on her today and her jumping was much better than it had been.

“It’s nice to get it for the lads (North East Syndicate) as they’ve been very patient with her. I’ve been saying ‘don’t worry lads there is ability here’ as on some of her runs it was hard to believe it.”