AFTER combining for a double at Wexford two days previously, trainer Paul Nolan and jockey Eoin Staples repeated the feat at Down Royal on Sunday, when their brace was completed by Sandor Clegane (11/10 favourite) in the Giddy Up And Switch To Fibrus Beginners Chase over two and a half miles.

The front-runner, owned by Mrs Kay Browne and Mrs Anne Coffey, held on by half a length from Meet And Greet for a first success since the 2023 Punchestown festival.

Staples remarked: “He has been frustrating for the lads, but the job was done today. He doesn’t do a whole pile in front, that’s why the cheekpieces are on.

“He’s a class horse and has given the lads a couple of brilliant days out. Hopefully, this will do him the world of good.”

Scopey

Having been runner-up at Naas on his previous outing, Only For Our Man (15/8 favourite) went one place better in the Fast As Fibrus Broadband Novice Handicap Hurdle to provide Nolan and Staples with their first winner of the afternoon.

The Yeats six-year-old, owned by Patrick Carberry, led before two out in the two-mile, six-furlong contest.

Dark Lieutenant was staying on to mount a challenge when unseating Danny Mullins at the last, leaving the winner clear to post a seven-length victory over Hitthehayson.

“I think he would have found more if joined after the last - he wasn’t doing a tap in front,” said the winning rider. “He’s definitely a chaser in the making, he jumps brilliantly and has lots of scope.”

Well supported before racing, Kalsman (17/2) brought up plenty of bets in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

Caragh Monaghan sent him on from the second flight and the Kalanisi gelding made the rest of the running to score by three lengths from Justicialism.

Trainer Liam Lennon said: “He just had a wee slight hiccup last year, so we gave him a year off. Caragh rides a lot of work for us and we have to repay the people that are good to you.

“We will probably put him over fences next. He would be a nice horse to go to England with - his owner Willie Anderson likes a weekend away in England.”

THE Carsena Bloodstock Mares Maiden Hurdle, over just short of two and a half miles, resulted in a comfortable success for Miss Doyenne (8/11 favourite).

Trained by Henry de Bromhead for Tom O’Connor’s Envirogreen Housing Services Ltd, the six-year-old hit the front after the third last and went away to score by seven and a half lengths from Forever And A Day.

Winning rider Darragh O’Keeffe commented: “We like her at home and obviously she has won a point-to-point and a bumper. She had a couple of solid runs over hurdles, but we felt she had more to offer.

“The ground was probably plenty slow for her at Punchestown the last day. She’s a real chaser in the making.”

Making all

Duce Bigalow (13/2) put his 18 rivals to the sword in the Fibrus Says Neigh To Price Hikes Handicap Hurdle, when making all the running in the three-mile contest.

Runner-up in three of his last four starts over fences for previous trainer Seamus Neville, the Pour Moi gelding was making his first start for Colm Ryan and galloped on powerfully up the straight to post a 10-length victory over Coppola.

Ryan, who trains the seven-year-old for partners James Woods, Maurice Ryan, Donie Culloty and D Enright, was leading up and left it to rider Gary Noonan to explain: “Colm bought him out of an online sale, his mark looked appealing.

“His form is kind of on heavier ground at tough tracks, so I wasn’t going to let it turn into a sprint - it was going to be a dogfight if it was going to be anything.”

DANNY Mullins partnered his first winner since landing the Arkle at Cheltenham on Kargese when Brucejack (5/1) made just about all in the Switch To Fibrus Today And Save Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles.

The Equine Gold Syndicate-owned gelding, whose only previous victory had come in a Ballinrobe hurdle three years ago, went clear before the second last and stayed on well to beat Attaboyarchie by eight lengths.

Winning trainer, Pat Fahy, said: “His trip is three and a half miles plus. He had a lovely run in the Porterstown in November, and that worked out very well.

“He was due that win. He might come back here next month, and Danny said he might get into the Killarney National, so it will be one or the other.”

Hat-trick

More than eight years after gaining the second of two hurdle victories for Charles O’Brien, Mastermind (28/1) recorded a third career success in the Fibrus Total Home Wi-Fi Handicap Chase.

Ridden by Gavin Brouder in the three-and-a-quarter-mile contest, the lowly-rated veteran came from an unpromising position early in the straight to hit the front on the run-in, and stayed on best to beat Hardy Diamond by a length and three-quarters.

Helen Markham, who trains the 12-year-old for Peter Killeen, was leading up her winner and Brouder remarked: “I know that horse a long time.

“When I first started riding out, I went up to Charles O’Brien’s in Kildare - my two brothers were there - and I actually used to ride him out a good bit as a three-year-old.

“He was a quirky old character and he still is! He’s had his problems but Helen minds him away and does great things with him - he was so fresh there today, and well in himself.”