MICK Mulvany made a big splash as the flat season started at the Curragh on Sunday with Ribee’s impressive win in the Nua Healthcare Irish Lincolnshire initiating a double on the card for the Kells handler.

The Lee Regan Partnership-owned gelding went to post a 20/1 shot in the €100,000 contest, but travelled strongly throughout. Declan McDonogh kicked for home a furlong and a half out and soon settled matters, going on to post a length-and-a-half success over Eastwatch.

“In those conditions, he’s a hard horse to beat. This has been the plan since last back-end,” said Mulvany, who had also landed the race in 2018 with On The Go Again.

“I’m delighted for the owner. He’s an owner/breeder and this is the first horse he bred, so he had to keep him! He’s been lucky for him.

“He was travelling all the way and I was just a little worried that he had hit the front a bit early, but we knew he’d get the trip well.”

You Beauty

A good day for Mulvany got better in the finale when another 20/1 shot, Electric Beauty, claimed the 1xBet.ie Handicap. Jamie Powell was prominent throughout on the Mastercraftsman filly and led in the closing stages to win by two and a half lengths.

“It’s lovely to get it. She kept at it, she’s as fit as a flea, as she had a couple of runs at Dundalk,” said Mulvany, who trains the winner for the Clearys Syndicate.

“We’ll probably enter her up shortly again. She wants a little bit of dig in the ground, but probably not as heavy as that. Hopefully she’ll improve a bit and we’ll have a good year with her.”

No surprise

Trainer Andy Slattery and his son of the same name had to settle for runner-up honours in the feature, but got on the board with Pollenca (10/1) in the Mental Health Matters Maiden.

Even-money favourite Signora looked to have tied things up when kicking clear a furlong and a half down but was mowed down late on by the Rachel Halley-owned three-year-old. She picked up strongly to lead in the closing stages and record a length-and-three-quarters victory.

The trainer said: “I expected it, to be honest with you. She had a nice run in Dundalk and probably should have won. She ran a bit green.

“I think she’s a nice filly. You could say she’d go for a Guineas trial, but I think she’d be better at a mile. That seven furlongs is the least she wants, the ground made the difference there.

“The owners (Rachel Halley) are sellers, so I might not have her too long.”

THE Jack Foley-trained Rulers Control (15/2) proved strongest in the first two-year-old race of the year, the Topgear At Capital Stud Irish EBF Maiden over five furlongs.

Luke McAteer sat on the tail of 5/6 favourite Force Noir before sending his mount for home over a furlong out. The Territories colt soon asserted but had to tough it out late on as his rival rallied to get within a head at the line.

Top point-to-point handler Donnchadh Doyle has diversified into flat horses in recent years, supporting rookie trainer Foley, who said: “It was a good performance. We thought an awful lot of this horse coming here today.

“He had worked with a couple of the older ones and he was showing signs that he could be very good. We hadn’t anything able to work with him at home.

“This race usually throws up a real good horse and that’s what we think this horse is. He’ll be offered for sale and, if he’s not sold, we’ll dream with him.”

Dawn rising

Michael O’Callaghan got off the mark for the new season when Breaking Dawn ran out a cosy winner of the Nua CLaD Hub Irish EBF Maiden. Colin Keane led over a furlong from home on the 2/1 favourite and posted a two-and-a-half length win over Keogie.

“He’s a horse we liked last year, but he was just a bit weak and immature,” said O’Callaghan.

“Colin rode him on all his starts last year and said he felt a much stronger horse. He’s said he ground it out and he could go back up to seven furlongs after today. We’ll see what the handicapper says now, he could possibly run in the Madrid, if he’s okay.”

Smart debut

Victory Tip was a bit of a surprise winner when making a successful debut for Henry de Bromhead in the Final Furlong Podcast 1xBet.ie Maiden over a mile.

Billy Lee scythed through the field and led inside the final furlong to record a length-and-a-quarter win at odds of 16/1.

Lee said: “It’s tiring ground, but he went through it no problem and I had a job pulling him up.

“Chris Jones owns him and he’d maybe have one eye on going hurdling. He’s a nice horse and, off that performance, there is plenty to look forward to.”

DMANIAC picked up where he left off, when recording his second win over six furlongs at the venue. Martin Hassett’s charge had won last October and went to post 7/2 joint-favourite for the Nua’s Canine Therapy Handicap.

The Rebecca May-owned four-year-old led after a couple of furlongs and kept on strongly late on to score by three and a quarter lengths under Wayne Lordan.

Hassett said: “He loves that ground. He just wants it pure bottomless. I said to Wayne when I was giving him the saddle ‘don’t come back in if you don’t win!’ I couldn’t see him being beaten.

“With the ground and the light weight today, everything lined up. Today was the Gold Cup, we had to have him right.”

Money spinner

The testing ground was an important factor for the Tom McCourt-trained Smoke Them Out, who won the preceding handicap over the same trip. Sadhbh Tormey was soon in front on the 8/1 shot and kept on gamely late on to repel Tai Tam Bay by a neck.

“We thought he’d run well, we had a nice bit of work done with him and he acts on that ground,” said McCourt. “He’s a right old money spinner.

“Sadhbh rides well, she’s improving all the time. She’s getting a good handle on the pace and she’s well used to these horses, as she rides them all the time. It’s great to see her getting a couple of winners.”