TRAINER Gordon Elliott registered a treble at Clonmel on Thursday, completed by three different jockeys, with one amongst them, Bryan Cooper, later recording a double of his own.

Cooper began the day by winning the opening Slievenamon Claiming Hurdle on the Elliott-trained Longacre Square (4/1), which scored a second win for the We Are Going To Do It Syndicate.

The son of Jeremy was produced from off the pace to eventually defeat Yaiza by five lengths and was later claimed trainer Shark Hanlon for €8,000.

Runner-up Yaiza was claimed by John McConnell for €8,000 while Hanlon also claimed fourth-home Battle Of Benburb for €10,000.

The middle leg of Elliott’s treble was completed in the Kilmore Maiden Hurdle with the Davy Russell-partnered Perfect Attitude (13/8 favourite, for owner Martin White), and they survived some alarming moments mid-race.

Perfect Attitude raced green for much of the race and was badly hampered at the third flight, as The Mpex Kid jumped across his path.

Russell, who was about to fall off, regained his balance after pressing his hand against The Mpex Kid’s rump and later in the race himself bumped into eventual runner-up Wild Shot approaching the second last flight.

That second incident necessitated a stewards’ enquiry but the result was left to stand.

Russell later reported: “I was lucky everywhere, even at the first and the second. He running around and I was trying to keep him out wide, trying to keep him straight but he was just green.”

Regarding the mid-air incident at the third flight, he added: “I put my hand out to touch the other horse and it saved me – I was gone.

“A lot of the time, horses can get cowardly having had that inconvenience, but he didn’t and overcame it.”

Hard-fought

Elliott’s hat-trick was completed in the concluding bumper with Sam’s Choice scoring a hard-fought win under jockey Jamie Codd.

Prominent throughout, the Lyreen Syndicate-owned gelding battled well in the final furlong and eventually defeated State Of Honor by a length and a quarter.

Codd later reported: “He had a good first run and disappointed a small bit the second day but still stayed going to finish fourth.

“He has done his job and it is nice to win a bumper with these horses and he’ll go jumping sooner rather than later. He looks like a horse who stays.”

BRYAN Cooper had completed a double of his own when steering the Matthew Smith-trained Lord Gillygooley to win the Clonmel Handicap Hurdle.

Runner-up at Listowel last week, the son of Scorpion today scored readily by three and a half lengths.

Afterwards Smith stated: “Bryan gave him a great ride and I’m delighted for Klaus (Koentopp) as it is his first winner in his own colours. I had Lord Schnitzel for him but couldn’t win and he is in horses a while so was probably getting a bit frustrated.

“I don’t think he is a winter horse but he is a huge big horse and who will jump a fence.”

Local favourite Fleurys Fort scored an eighth handicap hurdle success in the Clonmel Handicap Hurdle (Div I), scoring for Templemore based Lesley Young and jockey Ryan Treacy.

The 11-year-old today beat No Way Pedro by two and a quarter lengths to gain a first success at the south Tipperary venue, and his trainer, Young, said: “He has eight hurdles won and is still only rated 87!

“He was coming home well at Listowel the last day and the ground will dictate where he goes now. He wouldn’t want it much worse than that but hopefully we’ll tip away for another month. Not too many horses win eight races.”

Gault first

The second division of that handicap hurdle provided northern jockey/owner Neil Gault with a first career win, as he steered his own Deo Bellator (12/1) to success.

The daughter of Getaway was held up for much of the race, made progress entering the home straight and having led at the second last, stayed on well to beat Inforapenny by five and a half lengths.

Gault, from Ballymena, reported: “I’ve seven point-to-point winners ridden, have had seconds on the track but that’s my first winner.

“She has been fairly consistent – she was a wee bit disappointing the last day out but got hurt the time before that at Downpatrick and we missed getting work into her.

“I own the mare and assist Michael (Millar) in her training. It was a very nice feeling passing the line and we’ll keep poking at these races whenever we get in.”

PADDY Wickla caused a 16/1 upset to win the Clonmel (Mares) Handicap Hurdle as the Philip Rothwell-trained mare gained a poignant win for connections.

Rothwell explained: “This is wonderful as Paddy Dowling, who was a very good friend of mine, passed away two years and I bought this mare with him and his wife Anne and the family have carried her on. Glenmalure Lodge is a hotel they have and Paddy was from Wicklow, hence this mare’s name. This is a lovely day for them.

“I didn’t think this would come today – I thought she might need the run. She had a really hard fall at Kilbeggan when running a super race and was very stiff and sore for a month.

“We have had her on the back-burner and she ran a nice race back at Ballinrobe the last day and it gave her confidence.

“She is a summer filly so we’ll run away wherever we can find ground that isn’t too soft.”