PHILLIP Enright bagged a double in front of the packed stands at student day at Cork on Thursday. The veteran jockey teamed up with old ally Robert Tyner to initiate his brace aboard the well-backed Poets Oath in the William Hill Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle.

The Poet’s Word gelding went off 3/1 favourite, having been as big as 9/1, and came with a strong surge on the run-in to get up and beat Gino Bella by a neck.

“He battled well. He got under the second last a bit and Phillip said he got under the last too. It just made it a bit harder for him,” said Tyner of the The Big Bamboo Partnership’s gelding.

“He was just beat the last day and maybe the more galloping course might have helped him.” When asked if he’d keep going for the summer, he added: “No, he needs a bit of a dig in it.”

Well judged

Later Enright teamed up with Donie Murphy when Mystic Malina claimed the first three-mile handicap hurdle on the card. The 10/1 shot was given a well-judged hold-up ride and she pulled away on the run-in for a cosy three-and-a-half length win over Toor Khov.

Murphy, who trains the winner for Anthony Smart, said: “She struggled in Naas the last day and Phillip just pulled her up in time. He said that was the saving of her today. He looked after her.

“She needs nice ground and she put up a nice performance there. From a long way out, I thought she was travelling and jumping very well, she was really enjoying it.

“I might go to Fairyhouse with her, there is a three-mile novice handicap there and she might get into that now.”

IT proved a day to remember for 17-year-old Tipperary lad Luke Barnett, as he partnered his first winner aboard Eddie Power’s Stardhem in the Gentleman’s League Handicap Hurdle.

The 10/1 shot, making his first start for the Thurles handler, came to dispute three from home and asserted over the last before holding the rallying Cloudy Fountain by half a length.

Barnett said: “It was great. He did everything for me really and I’m very grateful to Eddie for giving me the ride.

“He battled it out and he was very good today on the good ground. I can’t believe it.

“I’m 17 and from Tipperary. I’ve had less than 10 rides and that’s my first winner today. It’s brilliant to get it.”

Power added: “I was delighted for Luke. He’s a good lad and works hard, he deserves a chance.

“He’s a gorgeous-looking horse, we saw him on the online sale. He was a great mover and we said we’d take a chance on him as he was cheap.

“When we got him home, he gradually got a bit better and started enjoying life a bit more.”

Winning ways

Another horse that is enjoying his racing again is Onlymammycanloveme, who got back to winning ways in the Albert Bartlett Series Qualifier Handicap Hurdle.

Seamus Neville’s charge was produced to lead after the third last by Tiernan Power Roche and the 14/1 shot kept on well in the closing stages to beat Onefortheditch by a length and a half.

Power Roche said: “I was talking to (assistant trainer) Michael (Murphy) and they’ve had a few issues with his back. He just wasn’t jumping like he can.

“They had a few different lads looking at him and gave him a bit of time. He seems to be back to himself now, he jumped well today.

“Maybe he’ll get his confidence over hurdles and then they can go over fences another day.

“I know they love him at home and you can see why, he looks like a big old-fashioned chaser.”

LYNCHES Knock, an academy hurdle winner over Christmas, bagged another win over timber when taking the opening Kearney’s Coaches Maiden Hurdle on the card.

Josh Williamson disputed early on the 6/4 shot before going on after the fourth flight on the Gordon Elliott-trained gelding. The Kessaar gelding was joined before the third last, but bagged the advantage again before the penultimate flight and went clear late on for a five-length success.

“He jumped brilliantly. He had loads of experience, the most experience in the field, so he was entitled to do that,” said Williamson.

“Blinkers for the first time probably helped. He still had a little look at the bend passing the stands the first time, but once he got into the straights and got a bit more company, he was straight as a die.

“Hopefully, he can build on this. He’ll probably go into handicap company, but I’m not sure what the plan is.”

Gladiator rules

In the Mouse Trap Bar & Bridge House Maiden Hurdle, over two and a half miles, Royal Gladiator was also prominent throughout.

The Ian Donoghue-trained gelding kept on well, for the trainer’s brother Keith, in the closing stages to post a length-and-a-quarter victory over fellow 2/1 joint-favourite Captains Speech.

The winning rider said: “Stephen (O’Connor) sponsors me and he’s the master of the hunt with the Ward Union. It’s a good connection.

“I was inclined to get him rolling off the bend, I knew he wouldn’t win a sprint, so I wanted to get him rolling.

“He jumped the last two well and that’s what won it for me. We’d be hoping that he’d turn into a Dunboyne type of horse.”

Enigma proves straightforward

It was ‘Willie in the bumper’ once again, as Emerald Enigma made a winning debut in the lady riders’ event under Jody Townend.

The Mullins-trained 2/1 favourite led narrowly passing the two pole and had to knuckle down in the closing stages to gain a three-parts-of-a-length win over Fromjago’stomilan.

Townend said of Eleanor Manning’s mare: “She’s as tough as nails, she kept pulling out the whole way to the line for me. We went an even enough gallop, we didn’t go mad, and she settled like a dream for me.

“She was a bit green at the bends and I think she will come on for it. It’s her first time in a bunch of horses, she was never in a schooling race or anything. She’ll come on a lot for it.”