Mangan on the double

Conna trainer Sean Aherne never had a moment’s concern as Nicole’s Milan (15/2) was successful in the Monksgrange Handicap Hurdle by 10 length from Macs Legend at Clonmel last Tuesday week. The 10-year-old took up the lead after the third last and effortlessly pulled away to give jockey Philip Enright a double on the card.

Aherne’s neighbour, Jimmy Mangan, was in the Wexford winner’s enclosure on Wednesday 10th as Capture The Action (8/1) was produced with a well-timed run by Sean O’Keeffe to garner the M2 Construction Wexford Novice Handicap Hurdle.

Castlegrange was a ready winner of the Leugh Beginners Chase for James Dullea and Conor Orr at Thurles on Thursday, the 11/4 favourite moving into second two from home and sprinting clear, with Exciting Oscar the best of the rest 10 lengths back. There was more Cork success as Turlough

O’Connor rode and trained Cloudy Tuesday (11/4) to an equally facile victory in the Templemore Maiden Hunters Chase, drawing clear to prevail by nine and a half lengths from the favourite Saint Benedict.

That’ll Be The Day added to a good week for Jimmy Mangan when scoring in the second division of the Goresbridge Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park on Friday. Ridden by Philip Enright, the 16/1 shot overcame a touch of greenness when moved to the front, but still was nine lengths ahead of Barney Stinson.

Ian Power was legged up on Chenery (20/1) by fellow Waterford man Paul Kiely to secure the Xenon Handicap Hurdle at the same meet. The former point-to-point winner was settled in the middle of the pack by Power before taking up the lead two out and though tiring, she just held the late lunge of Pictures Of Home to score by a half-length. Henry de Bromhead registered a double, as Rachael Blackmore piloted Full Time Score to a very impressive four-and-a-half-length triumph over Mount Melleray at odds of 2/5 in the Irish Machinery Auction Beginners’ Chase and Patrick Mullins only had to steer Journey With Me (4/7) in the 13-length defeat of Galudon in the Doc’s Bumper PointToPoint INH Flat Race.

Pat Fahy was delighted as Danny Mullins booted Stormy Judge to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase at Navan on Saturday. The Leighlinbridge trainer had targeted this pot for some time and Mullins had his charge hitting the front just before the last to prevail by two lengths from Enjoy D’allen.

Tom Mullins landed the considerable spoils at Naas on Sunday, as Simon Torrens continued his tremendous run in big handicaps when stewarding Scoir Mear to the Baroneracing.com Leinster National. The 11-year-old has been a tremendous servant to connections and the 17/2 shot led home a JP McManus-owned 1-2-3, staying on to hold off the fast-finishing Ten Ten by two lengths, with Fitzhenry back in third.

Darrens Hope stayed on powerfully in ultra-testing conditions to secure the Grade 3 Kerry Group EBF ShannonSpray Novice Hurdle for Cappoquin owner-trainer-breeder Bob Murphy. Kevin Brouder brought the likeable mare outside Sayce Gold and Ballyshannon Rose approaching the last and after a spring-heeled leap, they pulled away to win from the latter by two and three-quarter lengths at 13/2.

While Harry Swan proved himself a chip off the old block when scoring on his first attempt at graded level on the Timmy Hyde-trained On Eagles Wings in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle. Son of former champion jockey Charlie Swan, the young Trinity College student delivered his challenge to Goodbye Someday approaching the last and his charge wrestled the upper hand to win by half a length.

Glorious Galway (5/1) was best in a gruelling test of stamina that was the Patrickswell Handicap Chase at Limerick on Sunday, providing a 15-length triumph for jockey Johnny Barry. Barry had Declan McNamara’s charge up with a strong pace throughout and took up the lead a mile from home, setting a pace that was too much for the opposition, with Classic Concorde chasing him home.

Pat Doyle’s Flame Bearer confirmed his promise with an authoritative triumph in the Adare (ProAm) INH Flat Race for trainer Pat Doyle and jockey Pa King. The 6/5 favourite was always travelling powerfully and King never had to ask a question, loosening the rein sufficiently for his partner to cruise to the front just 200 yards from home, by a three-and-a-halflength gap to Teescomponentsyess that in no way illustrated his superiority.

UPCOMING FIXTURES

Dundalk – Friday, March 19 (First Race 5pm); Thurles – Saturday, March 20 (First Race 2.20pm); Wexford – Saturday, March 20 (First Race 1.20pm); Downpatrick – Sunday, March 21 (First Race 2.10pm); Curragh – Sunday, March 21 (First Race 1.30pm).