THE return of flat action to Punchestown after a near 18 years gap was marked by a treble for trainer Joseph O’Brien, with the trio of winners achieved using three different riders all closely associated with the Owning Hill yard.

Fame And Acclaim was sent off 8/13 favourite to complete a hat-trick in the seven-furlong conditions race, with three absentees due to the testing ground (officially soft, soft to heavy in places) leaving just four going to post. However, the contest still produced a thrilling spectacle with Eldama looking set to score a furlong out before Declan McDonogh’s mount rallied strongly to prevail by three quarters of a length.

O’Brien’s assistant Brendan Powell said: “He had to fight for it and is a horse that wants to be aiming at something. There is a decent race in him somewhere along the line as he’s improving all the time.”

Liffey River (10/11) was also sent off odds-on for the mile juvenile maiden having gone close on his debut at Gowran Park, and the full-brother to Lope Y Fernandez (who cost Sun Bloodstock €380,000 in Arqana last year) made most under Shane Crosse before holding off promising newcomer Agrimony by three quarters of a length.

“In a slow run race it was the best place to be. He kicked and galloped the whole way. He’s a big strong horse and a nice one going forward,” commented Powell.

The yellow and red colours of Sun Bloodstock were also carried to success by 3/1 shot Sagrada Familia in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. Mikey Sheehy was applauded by Powell for using his initiative aboard the free-running daughter of Golden Horn, allowing her to move to the front where she settled better before going on to record a decisive three-and-a-half length success.

Powell enjoyed a stellar career both as a rider and a trainer but was very self-deprecating in praise of his young boss saying: “That’s Joseph’s 650th winner. It took me 20 years to train 645 and he’s only been doing it five years!”

Bay best for Sheehy

MIKEY Sheehy’s older brother Danny partnered the opening winner on the eight-race card as Syndicate Racing’s New Emerald Bay, a 35th winner of the campaign for trainer Johnny Murtagh, got on top in the closing stages of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (for juvenile fillies) to win by three quarters of a length at odds of 7/2.

Sheehy is just one of a team of riders benefitting from Murtagh’s best season yet as a trainer and said: “Last year was a bit of a disaster as I had plenty of trouble with my shoulder but that is sorted now and things are going well this season. The stable is flying and there is a great atmosphere around the yard.”

Aidan and Joseph O’Brien are now level on the 66-winner mark for the current flat campaign after the Ballydoyle maestro sent out Holy Roman Empress to land the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap. By American Pharoah out of the Group 1 winner Damson, she was friendless at 14/1 but put a disappointing effort at Leopardstown behind her by leading early in the straight under Seamie Heffernan to beat Zofar Zogood by two lengths.

“She was probably too big to make a two-year-old and it’s taken her a while to come to hand. I wasn’t too worried about the ground as we have a few by American Pharoah and they seem to go on all sorts of ground,” said Heffernan.

ANDREW Kinirons, assistant to Madeleine Tylicki for the past few seasons, recorded his first winner when We’ll Go Again defied top-weight in division two of the 45-65 rated one-mile-one-furlong handicap. The well-backed 4/1 chance kept on well inside the final furlong for Luke McAteer to beat Stellify by a length and a half.

“Madeleine has just taken a little bit of time out and I’ve taken over the licence. We’ve built it up the last few years and have a lovely bunch of 15 horses to run in the next few weeks,” said Kinirons. “This horse loves the soft ground. We fancied him in Galway but he got badly struck into early on. He’s very honest and is good fun for the owner Andrew Roe. That’s his third win.”

Garrison Commander (18/1) provided owner Tony Cantwell with an immediate dividend after recently switching yards from Gordon Elliott to Denis Hogan by also overcoming the burden of top-weight in division one. The Garswood gelding came home strongly on the stands’ side in the straight to ultimately win by two and a half lengths. Talented claimer Joey Sheridan was in the saddle and explained his decision to move to the outer saying: “He jumped out and never travelled a yard. It’s very chopped up on the inside but as soon as I switched him out he got rolling with me. I did come wide but if you want better ground that’s the way you have to go.”

Ultra Pride (6/1), trained by Sheila Lavery for her brother John, bounced back to form after a couple of below par efforts to take the 50-75 rated mile handicap, getting on top inside the final furlong to score by a length and a quarter for Robbie Colgan.