THE best season of Paul O’Flynn’s career got even better as the Cork-based trainer secured his second double to move on to the seven-winner mark for a season in which he has run just a total of eight horses.

O’Flynn, who is recovering from a serious fall he suffered at home earlier this year which left him with two fractured vertebrae and will see him in a brace until mid-April, struck first with Clonmel specialist Quarry Lil in the 80-102 rated mares’ handicap hurdle over two miles.

Now a three-time course winner, the 100/30 favourite made all the running under Gary Noonan and finished just under four lengths ahead of Irregularheartbeat.

“She loves it here. We might give her one more race before leaving her off for the summer,” reflected O’Flynn whose father, Tom, owns this daughter of Jeremy. “We have 16 in training, a lot are young and if we had a few more like her we’d be grand.”

O’Flynn promptly followed up in the next race with Cregane Ned (4/1) who delivered on the potential he showed to reach the frame on a couple of occasions during the winter. Philip Enright took the mount on the son of Vinnie Roe in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle over an extended two and a quarter miles and he produced the winner with a well-timed effort. Cregane Ned made his bid before the last and led early on the run in and he saw off the 66/1 newcomer God Help Us by five lengths.

“He has loads of ability but he just needs to relax. The main thing today was to get him to settle and, if he settles, he’ll put his right foot forward. He’s a tough horse and can hopefully pick up another one,” stated O’Flynn, who also owns the seven-year-old.

There was also a double in the offing for Philip Enright who took the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over three miles on Nicole’s Milan.

This Sean Aherne-trained 10-year-old is now a four-time winner but he had endured quite a fallow period prior to this, going over three years without a victory.

Nicole’s Milan kept close to the pace and looked a likely winner from the turn-in as he had only Macs Legend to worry about at this point and he always seemed to have that one covered. At the line Nicole’s Milan had an easy 10 lengths to spare.

“He has been running well and he can be competitive in that grade,” stated Aherne. “My horses have hit form recently. They were very out of form for a long time and are a bit better now. We had aspergillosis and must have had it for a long time before I discovered it but we treated the horses for it and they have turned a corner since.”

IT is turning into a memorable campaign for David Fitzgerald’s Hilltop Supreme who made it three wins from his last three completed starts in the 80-102 rated handicap hurdle over an extended two and a quarter miles.

In the best finish of the day, this Belinda O’Brien-owned gelding looked booked for a minor role for much of the straight but he kept battling hard for Kevin Brouder and eventually forced his way to the front as the line loomed. He got home by a neck from Added Bonus with Crack On Corrie the same distance away in third. “He’ll go to Cork in a fortnight’s time for a handicap hurdle and the owner’s daughter, Rochelle Murphy, will ride him there,” stated the trainer.

Prunella Dobbs sent out her first winner of the year as Premier Queen (3/1) built on a head second to Mollys Glory at Thurles last month to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race.

Faith Du Val charged into a good lead in the centre of the track early in the straight but she began to hang left and wilt simultaneously in the closing stages. Meanwhile, the Tom Hamilton-ridden Premier Queen, who stuck to the far rail, ran straight and true to lead at the furlong pole and prevail by two and three-quarter lengths from the staying-on odds-on favourite Ministers Hill. The winner is owned by the Finn & Feather Syndicate and she is an own-sister to the Grade 2-winning bumper mare Darling Daughter.

THE day kicked off with an odds-on winner as Arthur Moore’s The Priests Leap justified 2/7 favouritism in style in the first divide of the two-mile maiden hurdle. The 122-rated gelding made all the running for Donagh Meyler and was untroubled to score by 11 lengths. He carries the colours of Dargle Equine Limited.

“He is a decent horse but hasn’t helped himself as he gets wired up on the track. His last few races have taken the fizziness out of him and he should be better now.” reported Moore.

There was quite a gamble here on the Paul O’Flynn-trained Champagne Rodeo but he finished down the field after which he was reported to have coughed once and to have had blood at his left nostril.

There was a reversal for odds-on punters in the other divide of that maiden hurdle though as Three By Two (30/100, pulled a right fore shoe and was reported to have stopped quickly) finished ninth behind Kate Ill Now (28/1).

Denise Marie O’Shea trains the eight-year-old newcomer for her part breeder John Draddy and the daughter of Golan showed a splendid attitude when it mattered. She held every chance from the turn in and belied her inexperience with a determined effort for Brian Hayes that saw her defeat Coconut Tudor by three-quarters of a length.

“The owners bred her and they always like to give them time and she has never had any trouble and is a gem of a mare,” said the trainer. “Tina Condon, who led her up, does a fantastic job riding her and it is great to see Brian doing so well this year as he is fantastic and has been a very underrated jockey.”