THE upward trajectory of Paddy Twomey’s training career continued at this midweek fixture, with the talented Golden-based handler registering a first treble. Combining with Billy Lee for all three wins, Royal Entry rounded off a fruitful evening for the pair in the Mallow Fillies’ Maiden. Slow into stride and losing a considerable amount of ground, the Marguerite Joyce-owned four-year-old pulled off a remarkable last to first win.

Gradually closing on the main protagonists in the back straight, the former Jim Bolger inmate travelled sweetly in third from the two-furlong pole.

Ridden to lead with a furlong to go, the 85/40 chance stretched clear in the closing stages and had two and a quarter lengths to spare at the line.

“This is fantastic. It’s my first treble and it’s nice to have it here,” Twomey enthused before adding, “She has her own ideas about things, but luckily has plenty of ability and Billy was nice and cool on her.”

Steward’s decision

While returned the clear favourite at 1/3, it was far from straightforward for Twomey’s No Alibi, with this one surviving a steward’s enquiry before being officially declared the winner of the Signal Mutual Maiden.

Wayward when getting to the front from the furlong pole, the successful American-bred bay gave another chance to the front-running Stella Alpina and slightly bumped that rival inside the final 100 yards. Flashing past the line together, the judge was called upon to split the pair, with just a nose between them at the line. Connections of the runner-up have lodged an appeal.

“She is a well-bred filly, it is great to win her maiden and she is probably still green,” Twomey reported. “She is a sister to Treasure Trove and, if she can get to anything like her heights it would be great, as her owner Craig (Bennett, of Merry Fox Stud) is a breeder. Getting blacktype is now our mission.”

Legendary

The Twomey and Lee three-timer was initiated by Rogue Legend (4/6 favourite) in the opening Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden.

Running green when second over the course and distance a fortnight earlier, the Havana Grey colt was ridden to lead with a furlong and a half to go and soon drifted left. However, he found plenty in the closing stages and had two and a quarter lengths to spare at the line.

“He is a nice horse and natural progression has brought him forward,” Twomey said. “Connections would like to go to Royal Ascot but before then, there’s a winners’ race next Tuesday at Tipperary.

“This is Rogues Gallery’s

(owners) first horse in Ireland and I’m delighted they have chosen to send horses to me.”

STEPHEN Thorne and Jack Kearney combined for a third win in the space of nine days, as they struck with evergreen nine-year-old Hightimeyouwon in the Blackwater Apprentice Handicap.

Owned by Shamrock Thoroughbreds and in against five four-year-olds in this seven-furlong heat, the now 11-time winner tracked the leaders and challenged in second inside the final 200 yards.

Returned an 11/4 joint-favourite (from 6s early), he got by the front-running Ribchestina in the closing stages and there was half a length between them at the line.

“He has been a rockstar for me and Jack Kearney is four-from-four on him, so they have struck up a great relationship,” Thorne disclosed.

“He is very versatile, is a previous winner of a Mallow Handicap and I’m very proud he retains so much ability for his age.”

Surprise success

In the colours of the Claimers Syndicate, Together Aclaim also came home half a length to the good, as he registered a surprise 25/1 success in the concluding Racing Again June 13th Handicap.

Off a mark of 41, the John McConnell-trained bay missed the break and, while trailing early on, he soon made up the ground lost but remained in rear.

Making progress approaching the straight under Keithen Kennedy, the six-year-old got a dream run through on the inner with a furlong and a half to go.

Surging to the front inside the final 200 yards, he quickly skipped clear and comfortably held off the late effort of Game Phoenix.

“He was a little slowly away, I let him relax in behind and he picked up nicely to win,” Kennedy explained. “I was glad to have the slip rail over two-furlongs out, as I probably would have met traffic problems otherwise.”

AFTER belatedly getting off the mark on his sixth start at Dundalk, the well-supported Red Evolution (5/1 from 10s) registered a first win on turf in the Follow Us On Social Media Handicap.

A £300,000 Craven Breeze Up Sale purchase, the Jamie Powell-ridden chesnut disappointed when last seen at Lingfield in February.

Back on grass for the first time since September, the John Kirkland-owned Mehmas gelding improved to dispute the lead with over a furlong to go and, after a good tussle with Jorge Alvares (2/1 favourite), there was just a short head in it at the line.

“We liked him last year, but he just lost his way, so we gelded him and that straightened him out,” winning trainer Michael O’Callaghan revealed.

“I’m delighted for his owners as after his first run we were dreaming. The wheels fell off a little bit then, but he is two-from-three this year so things are looking up.”

Cast-off

A Godolphin cast-off and bought by current connections for just £3,000, Nezeeh led home 14 rivals in the Buy Tickets Online At corkracecourse.ie Handicap.

Struggling to make an impact since joining Denis Hogan, the Profitable four-year-old clearly appreciated dropping back to five furlongs.

Well-supported from 16s to 8s late on, the Premier Racing Club-owned bay was settled behind the leaders by Joey Sheridan and was ridden to the front inside the final 200 yards, keeping on nicely from there to score by two and three-quarters of a length.

“I felt we should try this trip as if he showed what he did when fifth at Bellewstown (in April), that he would have a chance,” Sheridan reflected.

“It suited that we went hard and he was able to pick them up.”

Nezeeh holds engagements at Tipperary on Tuesday and Fairyhouse on Thursday.