GRAND National-winning rider David Mullins made his third ride on the flat in the last six years a winning one as he teamed up with his father’s Powersville in the Kennedy’s Bar Sligo Fillies Handicap.

Now a winner of five of her 30 career outings, this five-year-old was some 9lb higher than when winning at this track just over a year ago but that was of no concern and neither was the welter burden of 10st 1lb.

David Mullins mightn’t have ridden in a sprint race before but he looked quite at home at all stages aboard the 7/4 favourite whom he angled off the rail to make her bid entering the last furlong.

Once Powersville asserted her rivals could muster little response and she went on to score by three lengths to deliver on the promise she showed to be placed in two runs last month.

“Shane [Foley] felt the draw beat her in Fairyhouse and I was hoping she’d hold her form into today which she has done. David gave her a great ride for his first ride in a sprint,” reflected Tom Mullins who trains the mare for his wife Helen.

There was further cheer for the Mullins team when Rocky Blue, on his first start since winning a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown in December 2018, finished a fine second to Sicario (11/2) in the Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel Handicap.

Local trainer Mark McNiff is responsible for Sicario who was building on a good second to Dollar Value at Leopardstown last month.

The John Gerrard-owned winner was never out of the first two for Ronan Whelan and stole into a decent lead turning for home which enabled him to defeat Rocky Blue by a length and a half.

“He’s been in great heart lately and he likes the fast ground. He might well head to the Curragh next Friday,” reported McNiff.

PUNTERS were left reeling when the curtain came up on Sligo’s racing year as Ross O’Sullivan’s Kourvoisier struck at 80/1 in the first division of the first division of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over an extended five furlongs.

Just eight days after her unplaced racecourse debut in a decent maiden at Naas, the daughter of Anjaal looked to have it all to do from seventh approaching the straight.

Tom Madden conjured quite a surge from his mount over the last furlong though and the Wasters Syndicate-owned filly charged home to sweep by Lough Swilly Pearl as the line loomed.

“She came on a good bit from her run at Naas. I was disappointed with that run but Tom said she’d be a different filly next time. It’s great to win a maiden with her as she has a nice pedigree,” commented O’Sullivan.

The other division of that median auction maiden produced a much shorter-priced winner in I Know I Can (16/5) although there was more woe for favourite backers as the 11/10 market leader Lilandra could only manage third.

For his part the winner was building on quite nice eighth behind You’resobeautiful at Navan to give John Oxx his initial success of the campaign.

Ross Coakley struck for home turning in the Gary Robinson-owned son of Roderic O’Connor who went to the line in good style to score by two and a quarter lengths.

“He’d a nice first run and we felt he’d stepped up and he broke a lot smarter today which is important around here and he was professional throughout the race. Hopefully he’ll progress another bit,” stated the rider.

Coen strikes with double

FRESH from landing the first pattern race victory of his career at Leopardstown the previous evening, Ben Coen continued his good form with a double which began with Mick Mulvany’s Talking Tough (100/30) in the Foley’s Bar & Off Licence Handicap.

After running well over a mile at Limerick on Monday, this Tough As Nails gelding coped well with the drop back to an extended five furlongs after just managing to come out the right side of a sustained battle with the game Lady Alcazar.

“He was staying on well at Limerick but there is a stiff enough finish here and you need to stay well. He might now go to Roscommon on Tuesday,” stated Mulvany whose father Larry bred and owns the winner.

Coen completed his double on Little Brother in the three-year-old only 45-65 rated Strandhill Caravan Park Handicap over an extended mile and a half.

After starting his season with placed efforts in a couple of similar events at Roscommon, Little Brother (9/4) made most of the running and then contained the late effort of Jeff Kidder by a neck.

James Nash trains the winner for the Little Brother Partnership while the unplaced favourite Jan Wellens was found to be lame post race.

Oisin Orr came up just short on Jeff Kidder but better luck awaited t on Dermot Weld’s Lilli Milena (7/2) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over an extended 10 furlongs.

This Moyglare Stud-owned daughter of Dansili, who started her career with a fifth in the Thurles maiden won by Peaceful, looked to be struggling before the straight but dug in to eventually lead deep inside the last furlong and cross the line half a length ahead of the staying-on Kells.