SCARLET And Dove registered her second consecutive weekend graded win at Limerick on Sunday as the Gigginstown House Stud-owned mare claimed the feature Grade 2 Charleville Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase under jockey Donagh Meyler.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained 8/11 favourite had won a Grade 3 chase at Navan just eight days ago and backed that up nicely when beating runner-up Minx Tiara by seven lengths, having earlier survived a blunder.

Meyler was notching his biggest non-handicap winner and afterwards the Galway Plate and Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Hurdle-winning rider stated: “She has been good to me and she picked up a Grade 3 last week and a Grade 2 today. The race cut up but we reaped the rewards.

“She jumped the next few fences well after making her mistake (at the ninth fence) and is learning the whole time so hopefully can progress again.”

Racing began with a 50/1 winner of the opener, Behind The Wall in the Murroe Hurdle, for James McAuley and jockey Conor Maxwell.

Owner/trainer McAuley later reported: “He is a grand horse who only cost two grand and we only started schooling him two weeks ago. He blew the start at Dundalk last week and we only ran him over two miles to see would his stamina last and he stayed on really well. He’ll be better on better ground and Conor (Maxwell) said he’d also be better in a truer run race and he.”

THE other blacktype race on the card saw eight mares line up for Grade 3 Kerry Group EBF Shannon Spray Novice Hurdle with victory going to Robert Murphy’s Darrens Hope (13/2), under jockey Kevin Brouder.

The seven-year-old was pushed along to keep tabs with the smooth-travelling Sayce Gold in the straight but really saw out her race well after the last to account for that runner and the eventual runner-up Ballyshannon Rose.

Owner, trainer and breeder Murphy was understandably delighted with the success and later reported: “She is a fine mare who finished third in this race last year. I knew there was a good one in her.

“I’m over the moon and we’ll go over fences next season and look to Fairyhouse or Punchestown next.”

Mercury Lane was the shortest-priced horse of the day and he duly obliged as 4/7 favourite in the Fedamore Maiden Hurdle, winning by 28 lengths for trainer Paul Nolan, owner Brendan McNicholas and jockey Bryan Cooper.

The son of Stowaway carried form figures of 2-332-22 into today’s race and afterwards Cooper stated: “He deserved that as he’s run into some good horses.

“Cheekpieces sharpened him up but I’d imagine he’ll be one for those competitive staying handicap chases in future. It’s great that the (Nolan) horses are coming back into form.”

GROUND conditions were very testing on the day and just two of the 12 runners for the Patrickswell Handicap Chase completed, with victory going to the Declan McNamara-trained Glorious Galway, who scored for amateur jockey Johnny Barry.

With the field well spread out coming into the straight, the nine-year-old looked to be going best and comfortably held the challenge of Classic Concorde, who couldn’t land a blow for Dillon Maxwell, finishing 15 lengths adrift in the end. It was Glorious Galway’s second career win and both have come at Limerick: he won a maiden hunter chase at the Christmas festival at this track in 2018.

It was an emotional win for McNamara who later stated: “He won here in Christmas 2018 and he was third in this race two years ago. One of the (Glorious Galway) syndicate members Phil Callaghan passed away and we’ll dedicate this win to him.”

J.J. Slevin came in for praise from winning trainer Norman Lee following the jockey’s win on Lee’s Seangoell (4/1 favourite) in the Croom Handicap Hurdle.

Galway-based Lee said: “J.J. (Slevin) gave her a super ride and we had one of the best jockeys in the race. She belongs to a great owner and supporter of the yard John Davitt and his wife Rose and it’s great for the lads in the yard.

“She got badly hurt the day she won her point-to-point and it was the people in Fethard Veterinary Clinic that saved her. We have 30 in the yard and are busy but have the best staff we’ve ever had – I am only part of a big wheel.”

The concluding Adare Bumper was won in taking style by the Pat Doyle-trained Flame Bearer (6/5f for owners Linda Mulcahy and Mary Wolridge), who was following up a recent Thurles win.

The son of Fame And Glory travelled strongly throughout and in the end quickened for a three-and-a-half-length win over Teescomponentsyess.

Winning jockey Pa King was impressed by the performance and later reported: “He was maybe more in my hands than I would have liked the whole way but he is a very good horse.

“I knew in the straight that I didn’t have to be in any rush with him and being a good horse, he’ll go on any ground.”