ATHENRY trainer Paul Gilligan saddled a 129/1 double at Sligo’s midweek fixture with the first leg coming courtesy of Sequestered in the Hankook Pearse Road Tyres Maiden Hurdle.

The 9/1 chance came from off the pace to run down odds-on favourite Arabian Diamond close home and score by a length.

Winning rider Shane O’Callaghan said: “His jumping was a little bit green the last day, so I just got him into a nice rhythm. I’d say it wasn’t the strongest contest, the race just sort of fell apart in front of him and he picked up the pieces.

“Going to the last I could see Jack (Kennedy on Arabian Diamond) was going for broke and I just thought my horse had a little bit more. I didn’t have to get over serious with him and he’s done it well.

“I’d say he’d stay further but he has plenty of boot for two and a-half as well.”

Gilligan added: “It’s great for the men who own him, Tom Quinn and Paul Lyons. Paul is a Galway man living in London. He was home for race week in Galway and he’ll be back for Listowel, so that’s where we might head next with this horse.”

Chap on the ball

Old Chap (12/1) completed Gilligan’s brace when just prevailing in a frantic finish to the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

It was all change on the run-in in this staying contest as the winner, third jumping the last, came through to lead and clung on by a short-head from the fast-finishing Lets Do This.

“It’s great for the group of lads (the Hurl ‘N’ Ball Syndicate). Mossy Larkin’s nickname around Kiltormer is ‘old chap’ and he’s one of the syndicate along with Mike Coleman and the three Kilkenny brothers. They’ll have some night tonight and one of them probably has to say Mass in the morning, he’s a priest!”

“It was his first run over three mile and one, he’s a lovely little horse who’s honest and would stay galloping all day for you.

“My own lads (Jack and Danny) are out at the moment and missed out here with these two winners. They’ll be nice horses for Jack when he comes back, Danny has enough horses to ride!”

REDWOOD Queen brought up plenty of bets when keeping on best in the Aidan Moffitt Memorial Handicap Hurdle.

Well punted from 10/3 to 5/4 favourite, she was produced on the outer after the penultimate flight by Philip Byrnes and led over the last en route to a three-quarters of a length success from Up And Out.

The daughter of Mahler is owned by the winning rider’s brother Cathal and trained by their father Charles, who said: “We pulled her out a few times recently. She’s a small, light, little thing and today was the first day she got her ground.

“Davy Russell rode a good few winners for me around here and that’s the way he rode them all, dropped them out near the back and came wide, so I told Philip to come wide and come late.”

Philip Byrnes had an unhappier time an hour later on Gendarme in the Kevin Egan Cars Handicap Hurdle as he picked up a 12-day suspension for improper riding.

Fellow rider Kieren Buckley reported to the Clerk of the Scales that he felt that Byrnes struck him on the head with his left arm during some jostling for position after the third last.

In the end, Buckley’s mount Dragon’s Pass ran on well to be second to Sittingonthfence (7/1) who led before the second last and held on to score by a neck.

Sonny Carey trains the winner for the Pabiroco Syndicate and winning rider JJ Slevin said: “She was idling in front. I got caught on her at Ballinrobe last summer so Sonny said to me going out not to hit the front too soon. There was a slight change of plan, but thankfully she held on!”

Third approaching the last, top-weight Moonovercloon finished with a flourish to win the Francie ‘Banger’ Burns Handicap Hurdle in some style, pulling six and a half lengths clear of Game And Glory at the line.

James Smith, whose father Matt trains the Sea Moon gelding for Sean Gillen and the Midlands Partnership, said of the 9/4 favourite: “He’s very quirky, he wasn’t going a yard there the whole way and it was only when he got a bit of daylight he took off.

“He’s versatile as regards trip but I’d say the further the better for him.”

WILLIE Mullins’ newcomer A Penny A Hundred drifted on track from odd-on to 11/8 favourite for the McDermott Farm Machinery 4-y-o INH Flat Race but showed a good turn of foot to put the race to bed early in the straight, scooting clear to beat market rival Hypersonic Missile by five and a half lengths.

Patrick Mullins said: “She’s bred (and owned) by my mother Jackie, we sent a few of our mares over to France as a bit of an experiment so she’s a French-bred.

“I think Jukebox Jury is going to be a fantastic sire, we’ve plenty of well-bred horses by him and My Great Mate, who won in Galway, is one of his as well.

“She has a pedigree with lots of stamina and I’d imagine she’ll be able to go up in trip over hurdles.” The Grey Dove (4/1), trained by Gordon Elliott for Mrs Caren Walsh, E G Tunstall and Eddie Mulholland, shot clear between the final two flights in the New You Clinic Mares Maiden Hurdle and kept on well to score by a length and a quarter from the staying-on Stormalong.

Winning rider Jack Kennedy said: “We went a fair old gallop and she was just flat out, but she stays and jumped well, apart from the last, so she did it well.

“Stepping back up in trip would help her travel a bit better early on, I think, so we’ll see what Gordon thinks.”