THE Galway Plate is the target for Ol Man Dingle after his victory in the Mongey Communications-sponsored Trial at Kilbeggan on Monday. Eoin Griffin’s charge held on in a driving finish to the feature contest on the card to secure a neck success.

Shane O’Callaghan produced the 7/2 shot to lead over the last in the two-and-a-half-mile contest but the rallying front-runner Gaelic Arc pushed him hard to the line.

Griffin, who trains the winner for the Dunglen Racing Syndicate, said afterwards: “He’s been a great horse for us. It’s after taking a little bit of time for him to find his feet in handicaps so it’s nice to get that.

“The Plate has always been the target in the back of my mind so it’ll be on to there now. Ideally we would probably have liked to have gone straight there but off his rating today he’d have missed out twice in the last 10 years.

“He’s won around Galway, he handles the track. It’s been one of the races that I’ve always wanted to win. Like a lot of people I’ve been going racing to Galway since I was a child.”

Deserved chase success

In the T. Murray & Son-sponsored beginners chase, Le Coq Hardi gained a deserved success over the larger obstacles. Henry de Bromhead’s charge was making his eighth start over fences having been placed on five occasions previously.

Mike O’Connor produced the even-money shot to lead after the second last and his job was made easier when Glen To Glen ran out at the last when pressing. Le Coq Hardi went on to post a three-and-a-quarter-length win over Londonofficecalling.

Stable representative Robbie Power said: “He deserved that, he had a good run the last day in Limerick and was probably beaten by a very smart horse there (when second to Shadow Paddy).

“This looked like a good opportunity for him and I’m delighted for the owners, and delighted for the horse to get his head in front over fences.

“He ran a decent race last year in the Kerry National, he stays three miles as well, so we’ll look at some of those handicaps later in the year and see where we end up.”

JOHN Ryan may have been out of luck in the feature event with Gaelic Arc but he made up for it with a double later on the card.

It was also compensation for Ad Caelum in the Paul & Carmel Fay Memorial Handicap Hurdle when she completed the brace for the yard.

The Cloudings mare had unseated at the last in the same race last year when looking set to collect.

It proved plain sailing this time as the 10/1 shot led after the second last and skipped clear before the final flight for a cosy two-and-three-quarter-length win under Alan O’Sullivan.

“She’s a gorgeous mare. She hasn’t got going over fences yet, but she will. She’s going to make a smashing chaser,” said Ryan.

“The dam is a half-sister to a Grade 1 winner (Spirit Of Adjisa). We bred her ourselves and she’s by the mighty Cloudings.”

Ryan initiated the double in the preceding race when Love Like This claimed the second division of the 0-100 handicap hurdle.

The 10/3 favourite was making her 45th career outing in the three-miler and led before the last, under Brian Barry, to record a length-and-a-half win.

“It’s not before time, she’s been second seven times,” said Ryan.

“Tommy James and myself have her and, in fairness, we’ve been giving opportunities to young riders, and I’d say that’s contributed to her taking so long to win.

“She really deserved it. She has lots of ability and she could win a few now, please God.”

The first division of that race had been claimed by the Donncha Duggan-trained Island McCoo.

Alan O’Sullivan, who went on to double up on Ad Caelum, produced the 5/2 favourite to lead two furlongs from home.

He asked him for an effort bypassing the last hurdle and he held the late charge of Pilgrims Walk by half a length.

“That’s his ground and he’s all out to get three miles, two and a half miles is probably his trip,” said Duggan.

“He’s obviously won over fences so we’ll be able to mix it. There are plenty of races to pick. He’s a nice horse.”

IT proved to be a memorable day for Donncha Duggan as he went on to record his first career double courtesy of Johnny Rambo in the concluding bumper. The 9/4 favourite led over two furlongs from home and soon kicked clear for a cosy two-and-a-half-length win under David Doyle.

“He’s a nice horse, I wasn’t expecting him to win quite so easy,” said Duggan. “He’ll improve again, he’s still very green. He was never away from home, he was never at a schooling race as the ground was too hard and there were none one.”

Doyle was also completing his own double having scored on the Pat Foley-trained Silly Mongoose in the Old Harbour Bar (QR) Maiden Hurdle. The 7/2 shot was soon in front in the two-miler and saw off the challenge of Sharu over the last to record a two-and-a-half-length win.

“I’m delighted for the (He Aint Heavy) syndicate more than anything, they’ve been very patient with this fella as he’s been mentally and physically backward,” said Foley.

“You can see with him he’s a bit lairy in front and he’s not the most straightforward. David was good and positive on him. We’ll see what the handicapper does with him now. The syndicate would love a day out in Galway.”

Carmel’s Phoenix looks like a smart prospect for Mark Fahey over jumps after recording a wide-margin victory in the Racing TV Mares Hurdle. The 9/2 shot tracked front-runner Venusienne in the two-mile-two contest before hitting the front three from home.

Despite a mistake there she soon asserted and went on to record an impressive 25-length success under Tom O’Connor. “She did it very well, she took us by surprise,” said Fahey. “We might look at a novice hurdle in Galway for her.

“She’s a good filly, the boys gave her loads of time – John and Pat (McCarthy). Tom gave her a great ride, he rides her out every day.

“She gives him plenty of hardship every day and he deserved to win on her today.”