THREE Irish trainers were on the mark at Ayr on Tuesday and, while Karl Thornton is from north Co Dublin rather than Northern Ireland, his winner, Art Lord, travelled over to the Scottish track on Monday with James Lambe who saddled Cinder Rua to land the opening mares’ maiden hurdle over an extended three miles.

The Carroll House nine-year-old runs in the colours of the Bohilla Racing Partnership among whose members is the chesnut’s breeder, well-known Co Wicklow artist John Jobson. The four-length winner was partnered by the trainer’s stepson Liam McKenna who flew up from his job with Harry Fry in Dorset to ride both Cinder Rua and Lambe’s other runner at the meeting, Infrontofthejudge.

Jobson has shown great patience with Cinder Rua, the last of four foals out of Scree, a Broken Hearted half-sister to the Grade 1 hurdle winner Hide The Evidence (by Carroll House) and the Lord Americo gelding Knowhere. The latter won a Farmacaffley maiden in 2004 in the colours of Ian Buchanan before going on to record seven track successes including a hurdle and two chases at Grade 2 level.

Cinder Rua, whose racing career began with a first fence fall in a four-year-old Necarne mares’ maiden in May 2011, was visiting the winner’s enclosure for the first time on Tuesday. She failed to finish in five point-to-points but had some good place form in her 25 outings on the track, finishing second behind Witness Of Fashion in a two and a half mile handicap chase at Down Royal on December 26th on her previous start this season.

“When Liam rode the mare to finish third in a two and a half-mile handicap chase at Ayr in November, he advised me to step her up in trip and we now know she gets the three miles,” said Lambe. “The going was heavy on Tuesday but I think she’d prefer it better so we’ll probably come back here in April for another mares’ race. She could run over fences before then.”

Lambe reports that Jobson, whose sculptures and paintings quite often feature horses, didn’t travel to the meeting but: “Watched the race from the comfort of his home at the bottom of the Sugar Loaf Mountain!

“I was delighted for John, and for Liam who is really enjoying working for Harry,” continued the Co Tyrone trainer. “His sister Nicole led up both horses on Tuesday and is one of four riding out for me at present. We’ve 21 horses in work and it’s always great to get a winner.”