AFTER facing some fairly stiff assignments at novice hurdle level, Carrolls Cottage took advantage of a different test in the handicap hurdle over just short of two and three-quarter miles to continue what has been an industrious season in various disciplines.

The Philip Fenton inmate won a point in October and landed a maiden hurdle at this track in December before going on to contest some smart events won by the likes of Farouk D’Alene and Gars De Sceaux.

The Mike Neville-owned five-year-old had to shoulder top weight and a mark of 123 for his handicap debut but he wasn’t facing graded opposition which allowed him to justify 3/1 favouritism under Brian Hayes with a likeable effort.

The Mahler gelding was always in the front rank and kept on determinedly in the straight to defeat Oscar Montel by three lengths.

“He had been running on bad ground and we felt the better ground would help him,” said Fenton. “We weren’t sure whether we’d draw a line under this season or keep going. If we didn’t get a result today we were going to keep him on the go for a novice chase but Brian was always in the right place at the right time.”

Rose progresses

The card concluded with a nice display from the Mark Fahey-trained mare Rebel Rose (9/1) who progressed from a debut sixth at Punchestown three months ago to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race.

Derek O’Connor rode a canny race from the front on the Friday Night Lights-owned daughter of Dylan Thomas who raised her effort in great style heading towards the last furlong to contain the effort of the strong-travelling Beyond Ambitious by half a length. The winner could stay going for the summer with hurdling on her agenda.

Definite result

After coming up just short on his handicap debut at Clonmel a fortnight ago, Definiteadare struck for Tom and Bryan Cooper in the first division of the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over two miles, five furlongs.

The Frank Reynolds-owned gelding led from the third last and looked to have matters in hand from early in the straight. It was hard work for the 6/1 chance in the closing stages but he stuck to his task to defeat Four Horseman by a couple of lengths.

War God increases Bolger’s winning tally

ENDA Bolger has quietly been amassing an impressive record for the season and the victory of War God in the two-mile maiden hurdle ensured that the trainer equalled his previous best tally for a season as he made it 14 winners for the campaign.

In the colours of local owner Paul Leonard and bred just five minutes away from the track at Manister House Stud, the Mahler gelding had shaped creditably on his last three maiden hurdle runs and his rating of 110 gave him strong claims.

War God responded to Darragh O’Keeffe’s promptings to draw away from the favourite, The Cathal Don, after two out and he came home five and a half lengths clear of the 100/1 chance Aboutagout.

“He ran well in a winter maiden hurdle the last day at Naas and when I saw this race (confined to non-winners) it was the way to go. He’s owned by a good friend of mine and got a lovely ride from Darragh. We might look at Killarney next month,” stated Bolger.

After struggling to show worthwhile form on his first seven outings, Clever Currency has turned a corner lately.

He followed a second to Ya Ya Baby at Cork over Easter with a commanding success in the four-year-old maiden hurdle.

Keith Donoghue made all the running on the 17/2 chance who brushed aside the effort of Raamez early in the straight to prevail by 11 lengths for the Force Fifteen Syndicate.

Keith Donoghue later added to his haul aboard the Jim Dreaper-trained Mr Bercow in the second division of the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over just short of two and three-quarter miles.

The Declan O’Farrell-owned gelding was sent off the 9/4 favourite to build on his second at this track last month and he did so after a great tussle with Esthers Marvel which spanned the duration of the straight and resulted in a length-and-a-quarter triumph.

McDonaghs enjoy a memorable day

IT was a great afternoon for several generations of the McDonagh family and long-standing owner-trainer Michael McDonagh continued his great run of form with Cratloe in the 80-102 rated handicap hurdle.

A third winner from his trainer’s last five runners, the lightly raced Cratloe (11/2) arrived full of running on the outside of the field turning for home and Barry Browne’s mount eventually crossed the line with a length and a half to spare over Rich Belief.

Earlier, the father and son team of Mark McDonagh senior and junior – son and grandson of the aforementioned Michael McDonagh – enjoyed another day to savour as the Eoin Griffin-trained Jody Ted (11/1) picked up the rated novice hurdle over two miles.

This gelding provided the younger McDonagh with his first winner in his father’s colours at Wexford last month and he followed up as he came from the rear of a well grouped field and had to challenge widest of all in the straight.

The Dylan Thomas gelding struck the front well before the last and contained the effort of Cotteemcavennigoal by two lengths.

A novice handicap hurdle at the upcoming Punchestown Festival is next on the winner’s agenda.