DANIEL King earned the plaudits after driving Putapoundinthejar home in the €60,000 Street Sweep Handicap Hurdle. The 4/1 favourite made headway travelling well two out and disputed the lead over the last with a plethora of horses right in contention.

The six-year-old gelding led inside the final furlong and was driven out to seal the first prize by half a length for owner Ray Grehan. Trainer Tony Martin said: “He’s not an easy horse, but your man is just an excellent rider.

“I shouldn’t be saying it, but you’d love to see him in one of the top yards, but then he wouldn’t be able to ride for me! He’s on a par with Jack Kennedy and those boys. I haven’t seen anything as good since the likes of (Ruby) Walsh.”

Doubling up

King secured a double on the card when Eamon Delany’s Accustomed (9/2 favourite) stayed on best in the QuinnBet Bellewstown Handicap Hurdle over an extended three miles.

The 9/2 favourite stalked the leaders and improved to lead at the penultimate flight. He was three-quarters of a length too strong for runner-up Burning Ability on the run-in for owner Leonard Kinsella.

Assistant trainer Alan Delany said: “He got into a bit of traffic trouble (at Punchestown) and we were late getting out but, when he did get out, he motored home (in fifth). We said we would put him away for this. It was touch and go as we were last man in. I thought we weren’t going to get in, but they are the chances you take. He did that well there today.”

IT was a notable day for trainer Tom Hogan who completed the full set of winners at Irish racecourses when the consistent Hopeful Hero made the breakthrough in the Grimme Ireland Maiden Hurdle.

Alan O’Sullivan was in the plate, and his smooth-travelling mount made his move approaching two out. The Raven’s Pass gelding took charge before the last and powered home by five lengths in the colours of the Cool Out Again Syndicate.

“He’s a nice horse, but he’s a bit tricky. It took a long time to get his mind right and get him to settle and relax,” Hogan said. “Alan is a very good rider and knows him well, he rode him in bumpers.

“We would be careful how much we do with him at home, we try and keep him relaxed.” On ticking off Bellewstown, he added: “I suppose it is (a good achievement). I had the old and new Dundalk, and Tralee as well.”

Stable debut

Mino Des Mottes (5/2) was a wide-margin winner of the Dickie McGuinness Novice Hurdle in the hands of Josh Williamson. This was his stable debut for Gordon Elliott having switched from Willie Mullins, and he came with his winning move two out.

Williamson soon rode him clear and the duo sailed in by 10 lengths for Gigginstown House Stud. Assistant trainer Lisa O’Neill said: “Obviously, he had to step up a bit because he was against winners today, but he has some good back form.

“Josh claiming off him was a big help as well. He has done it nicely and Josh gave him a lovely ride. He was in a lovely position the whole way and angled out and took up the running plenty far out, but he did it nicely at the line.”

Brace for Elliott

Elliott’s brace of winners came up when Ardeen Joy and Jack Kennedy ran away with the Johnny’s Race Day Mares Maiden Hurdle over an extended two and a half miles.

The daughter of Walk In The Park was on good terms with herself as she went on after two out and was clear in tackling the last. She stretched right away to put 14 lengths on runner-up Riverwoods for owner Anthony O’Callaghan.

Assistant trainer O’Neill said: “She has her own quirks - she can be a bit hard on herself, but Jack seemed to get her switched off relatively well today. I think this track probably played to her strengths.”

PHILIP Rothwell’s Clever Court left form figures of ‘PPPP’ firmly in the rear-view mirror when landing the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle for Gavan Kinch.

The 50/1 outsider raced in rear and still had plenty of horses in front of him three out. Shane O’Callaghan pushed him along and his partner got interested at the penultimate obstacle. He was on terms with Whiskey Serenade over the last and got the better of that rival inside the final furlong.

After he prevailed by a length and three-quarters, O’Callaghan said: “He had the alphabet beside his name for a while! He has ability, it is just getting it out of him.

“We got a good jump at the second last and a good jump at the last. I got him up against the outside rail and he rallied the whole way home.”

Caman Hill (9/2) was a comfortable victor of the J.H. McLoughlin Oil Flat Race for Una Corcoran and Adam Ryan.

Sustained progress saw the five-year-old gelding lead fully three furlongs down. Ryan sent him clear more than a furlong from home and he saw it out nicely by six and a half lengths for owner Timothy Corcoran.

Ryan said: “He did everything wrong there - he pulled everywhere and he ran away with me plenty early to the front, but he just never stopped. He’s a big, strong horse. Any horse that can win two bumpers in this country, it is a fair effort.”