SEAN Flanagan completed a Galway double on Saturday where the rider combined with trainers Eric McNamara and his principal supporter Barry Connell for wins.

Flanagan began by steering the McNamara-trained L’Evangeliste (8/15 favourite) to win the extended two-mile Connolly’s Red Mulls EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle for the Preachers Syndicate. The heavily-backed son of Pastorius made all the running to score by eight lengths from Mullaghgloss.

McNamara stated: “He missed the last a small bit but at that stage he had been in front from flagfall. I think he will eventually make a lovely three-mile chaser. He wants softer ground and a longer trip than that.

“He was bought privately by a group of eight lads and was the dearest horse to have come into my yard in 40 years of training. All eight are here today and they’re staying over so it’ll be a great night.”

Making all

Thirty five minutes later, Flanagan teamed up with Marine Nationale’s owner/trainer Connell to win the Corrib Oil Maiden Hurdle on Eachtotheirown (6/4 favourite), for joint-owner Tim O’Driscoll. Eachtotheirown also made all and, while untidy at the final flight, scored by three lengths from Treasure Memory.

Connell commented: “He had good runs, finishing second in two bumpers, but he’s not a bumper horse and loves jumping hurdles. There wasn’t any pace today which wasn’t ideal, so he had to do it the hard way.

“He will come on a tonne from that. He went a long way before pulling up. Sean said he had a blow going to the second last and when he picked him up at the back of the last, he took off.

“He is a smasher. We have him a long time as he was bought unraced from Sam Curling. We’ll look at going straight to the Royal Bond now or else the Monksfield Novice in Navan, but I think Fairyhouse would suit him better.”

THE Noel Meade-trained Sportinthepark (5/1 favourite) overcame an 11-month absence to win the W.B. Gavin & Co. Handicap Hurdle, to set up a Troytown Chase bid next month.

Ridden by Sam Ewing, Sportinthepark was held up in rear of mid-division before making headway to challenge rounding the final bend, before eventually scoring by three parts of a length from Grann’s Boy.

Meade stated: “The whole plan was obviously to go back chasing with him and the plan now is to go to the Troytown.

“He had a setback after his last run and when I got him back later in the season, it was too late to run. He has grown up, matured and grown a lot stronger as he had been a big shell of a horse. His owner Philip Polly is in Dubai so hopefully he is watching on TV.”

Wise win

Another Troytown Chase-possible to win on the card was the Gavin Cromwell-trained Will The Wise (1/1 favourite), who landed the Sanserv Rated Novice Chase under Keith Donoghue.

Will The Wise enjoyed a clear lead throughout the two-and-a-quarter-mile race and, while untidy at the final two fences in the dip, held on well to beat Prends Garde A Toi by two and three quarter lengths.

Cromwell stated: “Keith turned it into a good test, and he kept it simple. He made a few novicey mistakes, but he probably learned from that.

“We’ll be keeping an eye on all the handicaps in the autumn and, all being well, he could take on something like the Troytown next.”

THE Brian Cawley-trained In The Minus (6/1) was a local winner of the opening QuinnBet Maiden Hurdle for juveniles, finishing strongly to score for owner Christoper Moran and jockey Shane Fitzgerald by four and three quarter lengths from Whats New.

Cawley reported: “We went to Sedgefield the last day when it was ‘game over’ after only one hurdle as he was too keen. When Fitzy (Fitzgerald) got down off him, I told him that, no matter what, we had to settle him the next day.

“At Sedgefield, he was keen and also ran off one bend but was still only beaten 15 lengths by the winner, who came out and won by 11 lengths the next day.

“Today I told him that if he gets him asleep, have one good go and that he would come up the hill, and he did. The first day he ran over hurdles we had doubts about him staying and he was back in distance today.”

Fantastic Finegan

Trainer Anthony McCann was full of praise for jockey Eoghan Finegan following the pair’s success in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Hurdle with Grace Faraday (17/2), who scored a last-gasp success when beating Gerrys Wish by a head.

The seven-year-old finished strongly to edge ahead close home, with McCann later reporting: “It didn’t look likely for a long time, but they went some clip and Eoghan gave her a very cool ride.

“It’s my first winner in Galway and I’m also delighted for the team as we’ve had a lot of seconds recently. Our horses had just been knocking on the door a bit, but this is great.”

Training for fun

James Conheady produced 33/1 chance Our Guide in fine shape to win the concluding Joe O’Gorman INH Bumper on debut, to provide the owner, trainer and amateur jockey with a second career success.

Conheady held the son of Soldier Of Fortune up in rear before eventually producing him to lead inside the final furlong, for a three-quarter-length success over Burning Ability.

Clare-based Conheady commented: “We train for fun as I’m farming and also work as a CAD technician in Shannon, so days like today are brilliant.

“We went a good gallop and, while we didn’t know if he’d dig deep and stay on, he did. Pedigree wise he isn’t out of place, as all his immediate family have won races. We were hoping for a nice run but in a small yard it is hard to know where you’re at. We’ll look at all options now and he is for sale.”