PATIENCE paid off with Amirite as he returned to claim the Kilmurray’s Midlands National on a sun-drenched evening at Kilbeggan last Friday.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding had finished runner-up in the €100,000 prize 12 months previously and made no mistake this time with a game battling performance.

Darragh O’Keeffe took the mount on the 6/1 shot and bounced out to make every post a winning one in the three-mile, one-furlong contest.

The Sholokhov gelding jumped from fence to fence for the main but was untidy over the second last and got under the final fence when challenged by Mica Malpic. He pulled out all the stops on the run-in though and held that rival at bay by a head in a driving finish.

Stable representative Robbie Power said afterwards: “I’ve been saying for a long time that there is a big one in this lad, but I didn’t think we’d have to wait a year for the same race again. I thought he would have had his day before now.

“I’m delighted for Paddy (Hale), he’s been very patient with him. He ran a blinder in Aintree over the national fences in the Topham. Paddy would like to go back for the Grand National if he gets high enough in the weights.”

Need for speed

The other race over fences, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase, was decimated with non-runners and Topgun Simmy proved the chief beneficiary.

Ricky Doyle produced the strong travelling 3/1 shot to lead over the last and Shark Hanlon’s charge didn’t need to come off the bridle to beat No Time To Wait by a length and three-quarters.

“It’s my first ride for Shark, hopefully not the last,” said Doyle afterwards.

“The main thing tonight was getting a good round of jumping in after falling in Listowel on his last chase start. He warmed up to it lovely and winged fences.”

BAL Kauto bounced back to winning form in some style in the New Forest Estate Handicap Hurdle, running out a wide-margin victor. Jockey/assistant trainer Declan Queally settled the well-backed 3/1 favourite in rear before making his move three from home.

The Balko gelding led at the next and soon settled matters, going on to post an easy 14-length success.

“The plan was to put him asleep, he’s been a little bit unlucky,” said Queally.

“He actually came up out of my hands at the third last and took me to the front. I thought he was getting a bit keen there, but I had a quick look behind and they were all in trouble. My brother is involved, he’s living out in Spain. Hopefully he’ll get into a race in Galway, they want to run there.”

Easy winners

The Larrigy’s Pub Handicap Hurdle also produced two easy winners in both divisions of the two-mile, two-furlong contest. Chancer Dancer opened her account in fine style when running out an eight-and-a-half-length winner of the first leg.

Conor Stone-Walsh was to the fore throughout on the Noel Kelly-trained filly and the 9/1 shot kicked on from long-time leader Only One Plan before the last.

Stone-Walsh said: “To be honest they weren’t very optimistic, but they thought she was in good form and thankfully she did it well in the end.

“The lads said that they thought she’d keep going, so I wasn’t afraid to let her bowl away where she was happy. I wasn’t over-hard on her and hopefully she can win again.”

Fine form

Telnobody kept up the fine form of Ross O’Sullivan’s yard when claiming the second division. Shane O’Callaghan sent the 10/3 joint favourite to the front after the second last and she skipped clear to record a 13-length success.

“She was very impressive. I’m delighted for the owner, Alan Telford from the north. This filly came well recommended from Brian Hamilton, who had her before he retired,” said O’Sullivan.

“Hopefully there are a couple more days with her, it’s a real good man that owns her. He’s here with all his family and it’s his first winner, so it means a lot to him.”

PHILIP Fenton sees Shraheen’s future over fences after he got back into the winners’ enclosure in the Writech Handicap Hurdle. Niall Moore produced the 4/1 shot to lead before the last and record a three-parts-of-a-length win over Ad Caelum.

“It’s great to see him back on track,” said Fenton.

“He’s potentially a chaser and the right thing might be to rough him off now and come back for a chase in a couple of months’ time. He has plenty of size and he’s bred to be a jumper.”

Making all

Faceman became the latest winner out of the great Solerina when making all in the Kilbeggan Irish Whisky Maiden Hurdle. Brian Hayes bounced out in front on the 40/1 shot and made every post a winning one.

The Harry Kelly-trained gelding was asked for an effort before the last and galloped on strongly to post a four-and-a-quarter-length win over Sugar Cookie.

Owner John Bowe said: “We always liked him. He just needed the run the last day but on his best form, on his first three runs, he had as good a form as anything in the race. I couldn’t believe he was the outsider of the field today.

“It was a fantastic ride by Brian. He’s a front-runner like a lot of our horses and he handled the track really well. I think that’s Solerina’s fifth winner. She has a four-year-old filly left to run and the horse that ran on Monday (Butch Coolidge).”

The further the better

In the other maiden hurdle, the opening mares’ event, the Gordon Elliott-trained Kenisa Sport powered home in the closing stages to make a winning start over timber.

Jack Kennedy produced the 5/2 shot to challenge over the final flight and she pulled away in the closing stages to post a five-length success over Kabylia.

“We were worried about the trip and said we’d ride her as handy as we could. Jack said she was flat out with a circuit to go,” said Elliott.

“The further she goes, the better she’ll be. She’ll probably go to Galway for a long distance novice hurdle.”