TRAINER Enda Bolger has always thought last season’s Boylesports Hurdle winner Gilgamboa would come into his own as a chaser and the J.P. McManus-owned six-year-old made it two from two over fences with an electric display of jumping in the Grade 2 Shannon Airport Novice Chase at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day.

The Westerner gelding, who got the better of Blood Cotil in a beginners’ chase at Navan last month, was the middle leg of a treble for jockey Mark Walsh and went to the front after two out. His main rival Adriana Des Mottes stuck with him over the final obstacle where there was little to choose between the pair but Gilgamboa put in a bold jump there and held a fractional advantage when the mare sprawled on landing. That allowed the 7/4 favourite to come home in splendid isolation by 24 lengths from Perfect Gentleman.

Bolger was well-pleased and said: “That was a nice Christmas present anyway! He’s a very exciting, improving horse and jumping is his forte. He was very slick there. We wanted to build on Navan and it was either this race or Leopardstown but this was the plan and it came off. He has a few options and can go back to two miles but we’ll enjoy today first and then think about the Arkle at Leopardstown.”

McManus, whose wife Noreen was on hand, completed an opening across-the-board double courtesy of the Eric McNamara-trained Irish Bulletin in the Download The Free Racing FM App Maiden Hurdle.

Given a patient ride, the 11/8 favourite was on the heels of the leaders throughout and came away from the last the quicker to beat the always prominent High In The Clouds by three lengths.

McNamara commented: “He had the form and was entitled to win today. To be honest, I was surprised he hadn’t won his maiden hurdle before now but he’ll win races in the future and he’ll go the handicap route now.”

Shannon-based Michael McDonogh’s Black Zero completed Walsh’s three-timer when showing plenty of resolution in completing his hat-trick in the Woodlands House Hotel Handicap Chase. The six-year-old son of Blueprint came back for more after being headed at the final fence by Top Cat Henry to get on top in the closing stages and justify 3/1 favouritism by a length.

Owner/trainer McDonogh admitted: “It was a bit of a risk to bring him back so soon after Thurles but it was a local meeting and he’ll have a well-deserved couple of weeks break now.”

In contrast Paddy Fegan’s all-the-way scorer Melbourne Lady, who has a couple of decent efforts in blacktype contests to her credit, had much further to travel from the restricted trainer’s Co Armagh base for the O’Kelly Brothers Demolition Mares Handicap Hurdle. Nevertheless she took it all in her stride and held the determined effort of joint favourite Dantes Firth by a neck under Mattie Bowes. The other joint favourite Pleased As Punch took the third spot.

The 6/1 chance was home-bred by his Castleblaney owner Denis Robb who was full of praise for his trainer afterwards. He said: “Paddy only has two horses in training and he’ll go anywhere for a race. He had her out at six o’clock yesterday morning and again at half four to have her spot on for today. She could go straight to Cheltenham after that.”

Amateur Eoin O’Connell celebrated his 20th birthday in style when registering his first winner under rules aboard his father Eamonn’s Captainofthefleet in the Signsplus Hurdle. The successful rider has had only a handful of mounts on the track and also rides out for Charles Byrnes.

He was not found wanting here as Captainofthefleet powered home by one and a quarter lengths from Montys Meadow, with market leader Go Darsi Go back in third.

The 7/1 winner races for the Ab Intitio Syndicate from Killarney and Dublin and O’Connell Snr pointed out: “It all worked out for him today. If he’s okay, I might run him in the Pertemps qualifier at Gowran but he won’t go to Cheltenham.”

The Supreme Horse Racing Club’s Uranna, from the all-conquering Willie Mullins stable, captured the GGL Security Mares Maiden Hurdle but was all out at the finish under the trainer’s nephew Danny Mullins to hold the late flourish of Golan Road by half a length. Fellow 5/2 joint favourite Truthwillsetufree was well-supported but could finish only fourth.

Co Kilkenny handler David O’Brien has a very marketable sort on his hands in The Gatechecker who routed the opposition in the Lyons Of Limerick Jaguar And Land Rover Flat Race to keep his unbeaten record intact with a 15-length win over Thatshowhedidit.

The 5/1 chance carries the colours of Aidan Fogarty, who is Phonsie O’Brien’s stud manager and he was successful between the flags on his only other start at Ballingarry.