MICHAEL Winters’ mare Clounts Glory is on a clear upward trajectory at present and she posted her third straight success of the campaign by landing the winners-of-three at Saturday’s rescheduled Kilworth & Araglen Harriers meeting at Ballyarthur.

Clounts Glory (4/5 favourite), also successful at Knockanard and Kildorrery last month, always travelled well as outsider Alloverafiver took the field along. The eventual winner edged into a fractional advantage on the outer with Chris O’Donovan after the penultimate of the 15 obstacles and she was always in command thereafter.

The winning daughter of Fame And Glory, owned and bred by Rathmore-based brothers Dan and Billy Horgan, duly returned with four lengths to spare over recent Lismore victress Rosy Story.

“She jumps great and she likes this ground. She will now probably go for the mares’ hunters chase at Cork over Easter,” said Winters of Clounts Glory, the only victorious favourite on the six-race card.

Come To Me (4/1 - 6/1) made a victorious start to his hunt racing career following a lengthy absence in the open.

Come To Me, a bumper and maiden hurdle winner during a six-race career over three seasons when under the care of Willie Mullins, is now owned and trained by Tracey Gilmour. The French-bred was good enough to contest three Grade 1 novice hurdles during early 2019 and he was last seen when finishing a respectable eighth to Reserve Tank in at the Punchestown Festival.

Travelling well

Now a 10-year-old, Come To Me was noted travelling well setting out on the final circuit and he easily moved through for Maxine O’Sullivan to take up the running two out.

It was all relatively plain sailing thereafter as the winning French-bred powered clear to contain another former Closutton inmate in Killultagh Vic by 15 lengths.

Borris-based Ms Gilmour, whilst thanking former owner Miss Masterson plus Willie and Jackie Mullins, reported of Come To Me: “He worked well with Billaway last week and I was hoping that was a good omen. He will stay pointing if the ground stays right, he wouldn’t want it any quicker.”

The hooded Police Academy (4/1 - 6/1) benefited from a fine waiting ride from her handler Paul Kiely’s elder brother Richie Kiely to make a winning debut in the mares’ maiden.

The market-leader Porter In The Park moved past the pacesetting Desert Heather into a narrow advantage from three out and she still held the call approaching the last. Police Academy was by now in the favourite’s slipstream and she swept past some 50 yards out to beat the jolly by a length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.

The now sales-bound Police Academy represents Richard McGrath and the Cappagh-based owner recalled that his previous success as an owner was with Cloudy Beach, a subsequent three-time track winner for Venetia Williams, at Stradbally in April 2013. The grey Cloudy Beach was incidentally partnered to victory at the Co Laois venue by none other than Paul Kiely.

PROCEEDINGS closed with the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden and Edmond Kent’s homebred Queshi Bridge (2/1 - 7/2) attained her due reward for finishing second twice previously by obliging under James Hannon.

Queshi Bridge, a daughter of Shantou that’s out of a three parts sister to Bacchanal, made smooth progress to lead on the approach to two out and had too much for Blooming Fortune, with four lengths the ultimate winning margin.

Kent, who also won this same race two years ago with Solar Sovereign, suggested that his six-year-old could now contest this Sunday’s Gain Mares’ Final at Ballynoe.

Horse to follow

An Peann Dearg (Harry Kelly): This son of Well Chosen was sent off favourite on his debut in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden and, having struck the front four out, the chesnut still held a two-length advantage when falling at the last. Compensation should be easily attained and he’s also likely to win on the track.

THE meeting served up plenty of drama and the action got underway with a most eventful renewal of the four-year-old maiden. Nine runners, the biggest field of the afternoon, went to post and Timmy Tuesday held a fractional advantage when running the wrong side of a doll after two out with the Co Wexford challenger bringing the pursuing One Big Bang with him.

John Halley’s newcomer Our Champ (4/1 - 5/1), who was some six lengths adrift of the aforementioned pair at the time, was left in front with the triumphant son of Champs Elysees duly defeating Howaya Now by 12 lengths in the hands of David Kiely.

Veterinary surgeon Halley indicated that Our Champ, whose dam is a half-sister to listed chase winning mare Nolans Pride, will now be sold.

An Peann Dearg was sent to post a warm favourite for the five-year-old geldings’ maiden and Harry Kelly’s newcomer appeared to be travelling best in the lead from two out except that Divine Inspiration had reduced the deficit to two lengths for James Murphy, taking off for the final fence.

An Peann Dearg however cruelly came to grief here as the Bandon debut runner-up Divine Inspiration (5/2 - 3/1) was left clear to come home alone in the colours of joint owners’ Jane Foley and his trainer’s mother Mrs Catherine Cashman.

Divine Inspiration, whose half-brother Beauport won a £50,000 handicap hurdle for Nigel Twiston-Davies at Uttoxoter on Saturday, was acquired for €33,000 as a foal and the maternal grandson of former Paddy Power Handicap Chase heroine I Can Imagine is now likely to have been sold.