COLIN Keane drove locally-trained Escaping Thejungle (7/1) home by a short head in the Dolly’s Bar & Pantry Handicap to give him a treble on the card in Bellewstown on Tuesday.

The always-prominent Escaping Thejungle won a three-way thrust for the line with Fair Taxes and Aurora Nova, with the trio separated by a pair of short heads. The five-year-old mare was trained by Eamon Delany for his son Alan Delany, who said: “I was delighted when I saw the yielding ground on entry. I was a bit concerned an hour ago whether we would run or not (on drying ground).

“She’s so good here we just said we have to run her and the champion jockey is on her, so we have to do our bit to help him as well.”

According to Plan

Joseph Murphy’s Touted Plan landed a gamble under Keane in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over the extended seven furlongs.

She touched 11/1 in morning trading, but was backed all the way down to 10/3 joint-favourite and, in truth, her backers had few moments of worry.

She travelled well into third a quarter of a mile down and strode into the lead with a furlong and a half to go. From there, she stayed on strongly to come in by two and three-quarter lengths for the Gurtinard Stables Syndicate.

Assistant trainer Joe Murphy jnr said: “Nice to get a winner here (first Bellewstown winner for the stable). She’s a filly we quite liked last year and she has been a bit disappointing. She has probably been getting her act together the last couple of times in handicaps.”

Seconditis

Empress Artemis (9/4 favourite) snapped a run of three runner-up berths in a row, when winning the Peadar Kearney´s Pub Handicap over an extended seven furlongs.

She moved ominously well in assuming the lead two furlongs out and was kept up to her work in the final furlong to come in by a length and a half for trainer Ger Lyons and owner M.J. Enright.

Lyons said: “That filly is not winning out of turn, she has promised to do that all summer. She has been second at least three times. A lovely filly as you can see. A weak finisher and it was nice to get the job done today. She deserves it.”

Lyons enjoyed a 1-2, as Glyndwr chased the winner home.

DANNY Murphy gave the plaudits to Shane Foley after Methodtomy Madness (20/1) became the first leg of a double for the jockey in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden. On his first two starts, he finished eighth in Cork and Sligo, and neither race was without incident.

Foley made all from the gates on the Bungle Inthejungle colt and, although the pair came under pressure at the business end, they passed the post with half a length in hand for Amy and Olivia Marnane.

Murphy said: “Shane Foley is probably one of the best jockeys in Ireland, and brave, because this horse was taken out of the parade ring in Cork (non-runner) - I was very disappointed because we had a 10lb-claimer on him. I’m so happy this horse won because he had a bad name. He’s a nice horse.”

Jessica Harrington’s Stellar Quality (7/2) built upon a third place on debut at Killarney when staying on best in the Gibneys Gormanston Fillies Maiden over an extended 12 furlongs.

Foley improved her into second entering the straight and she headed Tswalu a furlong and a half down. She soon ran on and came home by a comfortable length and three quarters for owner Zhang Yuesheng.

Assistant trainer Kate Harrington said: “She ran on great, so I’d say this will probably be her minimum so there will be no harm in stepping up to a mile and six furlongs.”

ZANAHIYR opened up a potential route to the American Grand National when landing the Ploughman Bar & Grill (Q.R.) Handicap.

Josh Williamson brought him to dispute the lead with Messerschmitt inside the final furlong and the pair fought out a sustained battle, with Zanahiyr getting the verdict by a head at 11/4 for Bective Stud.

“I thought it might be a bit sharp for him, but it was a good performance,” Gordon Elliott said. “He galloped to the line and Josh said it took him a while to pull him up.

“The further he went, the better he got. He’ll go to the American Grand National now all being well.”

Michael Kenneally, jockey on Messerschmitt, was handed a five-day suspension for frequency with the whip.

Successful start

Sayfa Fad made a winning start to life with Paul Flynn in Division I of the Gibneys Malahide Handicap over the extended seven furlongs.

The Galileo Gold filly dwelt leaving the stalls and soon raced in rear of mid-division. She made headway between horses for Dylan Browne McMonagle in the final quarter of a mile and took over racing into the final furlong.

The 10/1 chance stayed on well to score by a length and a half for owners David Bean and Des Fitzgerald. .

Flynn said: “I grew up with David Bean, he taught me how to ride a horse, so it is great to train a horse for him. John Geoghegan, in fairness, has done all the work with her. He’s just not taking as many now. She came home really strong and did it well.”

Dinamine rewarded favourite-backers at 11/2 in Division 2 of the Gibneys Malahide Handicap. Despite being checked with three furlongs to go, Wesley Joyce’s mount made good progress to lead inside the two-furlong pole. The seven-year-old gelding then toughed it out by a length and a quarter in the final furlong for owner Sean F Finnegan.

Michael Mulvany said: “He’s in great form and we kind of have the secret to him now, so hopefully it will be onwards and upwards.”