JOHN Ryan completed a 577/1 Clonmel double on Tuesday, featuring big-priced winners My Gaffer (16/1) and Le Diablo (33/1).

My Gaffer began by landing the Killusty Handicap Hurdle, when making all to win by a length and a quarter under Galway Hurdle-winning 5lb-claimer Liam McKenna.

Ryan revealed: “It is nice for Walter (O’Connor, owner); it is a great win and I fancied him out of the way.

“He had won a schooling race at Nenagh, came here fit and well and, while I know he had 11st 9lb, I took the 5lb off. He is rated 122 over fences. He was up to three miles today and that’s his job.”

Le double

Le Diablo doubled Ryan’s tally when landing the Botanica International Handicap Hurdle in the manner of a potentially useful type.

Ridden by J.J. Slevin, the unfancied five-year-old raced with the pace and, having led travelling well after the second-last, scored easily by six lengths.

Ryan stated: “He has a lot of problems, but in fairness to J.J.’s brother Mark (Slevin), who is a top-class vet, he fired his palate, which was a huge help. I’ll give him credit, along with my daughter Gillian, who has a huge input and did a lot of flat work with him.

“He is a French horse who came through Pat Doyle’s academy and was originally a really expensive buy. That’s his owner’s (Brendan O’Sullivan) first horse with me.

“He has had a good few with Willie Mullins and the reason they gave me this horse, was they thought he was no good!”

RECENT Irish Grand National-winning jockey Donagh Meyler was on the mark in the Botanica International Rated Novice Chase as Coral River (11/4) scored for owner Rory Larkin and trainer Ross O’Sullivan.

Placed on all his previous chase starts, Coral River led from the second last and went on to score by three lengths from Great Universe.

Meyler reported: “We went a nice sedate gallop and it suited, stepping up in trip. It turned into a dash, which suited.

“This horse should have won over fences previously, as I gave him an awful ride in Fairyhouse in January. I set sail too far out then and that race was in the back of my head today.

“There is a two-and-a-half-mile novice handicap chase for him at Punchestown, which is worth a few quid, so that is an option now.”

National winners

The winning Aintree combination of J.P. McManus and Willie Mullins were also successful on the day, taking the opening Botanica International Maiden Hurdle with Arcadian Emperor (1/2 favourite).

Successful on his sole point start and runner-up on his first two runs over hurdles, the five-year-old made all under Mark Walsh to score by two and a quarter lengths.

McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry reported: “He has run well every time, but has just bumped into a couple of decent horses and was back in a lower grade today. He jumped great and won nicely.

“If the ground stays like that, he’ll have another go and then will go jumping fences next autumn.”

Family affair

Father-and-son, trainer and jockey, Tim and David Doyle, combined to win the Drangan Novice Handicap Hurdle with Ned In The Park (8/1), who made all the running to score in the Tipperary colours of the Glebeland Partnership.

Jockey Doyle reported: “We gave him a break during the winter and it seems to have worked, as he has matured a lot. At home, he is a much nicer horse to do things with and, in fairness, he has strengthened up too.

“He is such a brilliant jumper and quickened over the last two. He was behind some of the best bumper horses and then got a hard enough race on his first run over hurdles, which took more out of him than we thought.

“Like almost every trainer around the country, our horses weren’t right last winter, so we didn’t run any, but they are back in good order now and we’re hoping for the best.”

ANDY Slattery, Cian Quirke and owner Mrs Margaret O’Rourke continued their fine run of form when landing the Fethard Beginners Chase with Royal Hollow (2/1 joint-favourite).The free-going eight-year-old was untidy over some jumps, but was produced to lead after the last and scored by a length and a quarter from 80/1 shot Mercury Mission.

“She is a good mare, but is stone mad,” Slattery said of O’Rourke’s home-bred. “She is over-brave and at home we have to keep a lid on her. We did a good bit of schooling with her, but we couldn’t do too much either as she is too brave - she is not a married man’s ride.

“She will come on in her jumping after today and will be better on better ground. The owner doesn’t want to breed from her yet, but if she was mine, she’d be breeding as she has blacktype. We’ll keep going and I think there is a good flat handicap in her.”

Bright future

Jockey Joey Dunne and trainer Ian Donoghue took the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Bumper with James Dunne’s promising home-bred Thelittleballerina (15/2).

Third on her Down Royal debut, she was patiently ridden on the day and drew clear inside the final furlong to score by eight lengths.

Donoghue reported: “She is a lovely mare who was plenty green, ran keen and got bumped around at Down Royal, so we were confident coming here as her work had been good.

“I’d say she has a bright future. The penny is just dropping with her and she will improve with racing. Her owner/breeder is from Rathcoole and he could sell this mare.”