ASPHALT Cowboy made it two from two at the track when winning the featured Dennison Commercials, Volvo Truck Hunters Chase at Downpatrick on Friday evening.

The Sonny Carey-trained gelding led close home under Michael Sharpe to beat Gorthill a neck. Carey commented on the Mary Kilduff-owned 4/1 chance: “He loves it here - up and down, and it suits him. Michael gets on great with him and he does a great job on him.

“He’s (Sharpe) very, very good, he rode a winner in between for Arthur Moore (Flying Trix, Down Royal) a couple of weeks ago. It wouldn’t matter what trip, he could win over two miles that lad once he puts his mind to it.”

Hot form

Gordon Elliott and Harry Swan continued their excellent recent run in bumpers when Cinammon Roll easily landed the Caherty Stables Racing Syndicate Point-To-Point INH Flat Race.

Sent off 5/2 favourite, the Vincent Caldwell-owned gelding led early in the straight before powering clear for an easy 15-length success. Assistant trainer Lisa O’Neill said: “He’s stepped forward an awful lot from Tipperary (seventh).

“He’s a nice horse and he is going to be a lovely horse over jumps in time. That will be where his future lies, I think. He had the measure of most of them coming down the hill. He came from Sam Curling’s and he won a point-to-point well there.

“He was nicely picked up for his owners and hopefully they can have loads of fun with him. Lovely to get his head in front there and for him to do it the way he did it. He looked like he had a really good attitude when he came down to it.”

Double down

Elliott was completing a double, having struck earlier on the card with Coffeys Forge in the Kevin Ross Bloodstock Beginners Chase. Danny Gilligan made most on the Kieron Gammell-owned 11/4 chance to score by seven lengths.

Lisa O’Neill said: “It is great for him. I know obviously it wasn’t the greatest of races in the world, but he had loads of point-to-point experience. Danny made good use of him as well. He seemed to be in a lovely rhythm.

“He was having a look at what he was doing and he jumped really well. Hopefully, he can go on and build from this. I’m sure Gordon will try and pick his races and find his way with him. He has plenty of form on different ground, so he should be fine during the summer months.”

GAVIN Cromwell was another trainer to double up on the evening. Hills Of Glory justified 13/8 favouritism under Keith Donoghue in the opening Randox Maiden Hurdle. Owned by the Railway View Racing Syndicate, the gelding led on the run-in to win my one and a quarter lengths.

Donoghue commented: “It was a competitive little race. He had the experience and he did it well. We thought he would win but obviously looking on paper, maybe Gordon’s horse (Elliott, Jazz De Cotte) might be hard to beat. We probably ran to our rating.”

Sights Unseen brought up the brace for Cromwell in the Down Royal Corporation Of Horse Breeders’ Handicap Hurdle. Alix Balfe led from three out on the 13/8 favourite, staying on well to win by three lengths in the colours of the Snip and Build Syndicate.

Balfe said: “My granda was heavily involved with Gerry (Keane) and these are granda’s colours, so it is a nice winner to get. I’m from Kells and did a bit of point-to-pointing. I just had a conversation with Gavin one day about turning conditional and that’s where we ended up.

“Amazing (parents) from driving me up and down the country flapping and point-to-pointing. They are the rock behind this. We fancied her today.

“When the boys started coming back to me, she dug deep. She’s a three-miler or thereabouts. Fences are on the cards for her in the future, I’d say.”

PADDY O’Brien and Dermot McLoughlin won the Frank And Brian Fitzsimons Memorial Handicap Hurdle with Goodie Girl.

Sent off 4/1, the Tarahill Partnership-owned mare led close home to prevail by half a length.

McLoughlin reported: “Paddy comes into us a couple of mornings a week - good lad, he works hard and is trying his best to get going at it like a lot of young fellas. He rides well and is improving all the time. Hopefully, he is going to go places.

“I’d say so (ground was the issue the last day) and she was on the back of two heavy falls. She was going to win one day in Leopardstown. We had her over with Robert Power during the week jumping poles and that stood to her.

“Try all these things and see if we can get things better. She won here over the same trip two years ago and just outstayed them up the hill. She does stay well.”

Optimistic

Grageen landed the Dennison JCB Maiden Hunters Chase for Willie Murphy and Pa King.

Also owned by the winning trainer, the 3/1 chance led early in the straight, before keeping on strongly for a two-and-a-half-length success.

Murphy said: “We said we would aim for this year. He’s a good-ground horse, he’d a lovely run over the banks in Punchestown. We have been waiting for this. Solid form, he’s only a couple of lengths off Sean Doyle’s good horse (Willitgoahead) on a couple of occasions, so it wasn’t a fluke.

“We were coming here reasonably optimistic, I’m more of a pessimist than an optimist unfortunately! He went and got the job done and that’s the main thing. We will probably sit quiet for three or four weeks.”