HENRY de Bromhead completed a double at Killarney for the second consecutive day on Saturday, on a day when also sending out Royal Ascot winner Ascending to finish second in York’s featured Ebor Handicap.

De Bromhead began Saturday’s haul with Downmexicoway’s (15/8 joint favourite) success in the Killarney Towers Hotel Novice Chase under Darragh O’Keeffe. Held up behind the leader, the chasing debutante improved to lead from the second last and went on to score readily by eight and a half lengths.

“Downmexicoway was very good and it is great for his owners Basil and Bernadine (Holian) who are good people,” O’Keeffe commented. “My horse had schooled brilliantly during the week and was very good the whole way today.

“Everyone thought he’d run a nice race in the Galway Hurdle, but it didn’t work out due to the start and he was on the back-foot from there. He was a different horse today and he was always going to improve for jumping fences.”

Easy double

Two races later, de Bromhead’s Coming Up Easy (6/1) made almost all to win the O’Donoghue Ring Collection Handicap Chase under Jordan Gainford for owner Anthony Head.

The winner scored by five and a half lengths and, afterwards, Gainford commented: “We went quick over the first two or three fences and after that I was able to get an easy lead. He might have preferred the ground to be a bit drier, but he handled it well and jumped great.

“We are all in Henry’s fighting for rides so when you come across a horse like him, it is great. I ride out in Gordon’s a couple of days a week and am in Cian Collins’ and Henry’s also, so I’m getting around and keeping busy.”

EOIN McCarthy enjoyed a fine day, with the Athea, Co Limerick-based trainer landing the opening two races. Fast Felix (9/2) began by upsetting better-fancied stablemate Wholelotofbusiness in the Irish Examiner Maiden Hurdle, with the trainer also taking fourth place with Tinking Man. Calum Hogan partnered the half-length winner.

McCarthy reported: “Jack (Kennedy, jockey of Wholelotofbusiness) was unlucky as the faller took his eye off it, but the winner had been threatening to do this for a long time.

“I’m delighted for Sean, Brenda and the Maguire family (owners), who are very good to me and we eventually got our day. We’re locked up now until Listowel, so all of them will now go straight there next.”

Change of luck

McCarthy teamed up with jockey Gary Noonan to win the opening division of the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle with Ballinoe Blaze, while stablemate Tropical Image finished third. Noonan moved Ballinroe Blaze to lead on the inside of Close Enough after the final flight, with a half length separating the pair at the line.

“This horse had been promising to do this for a while,” McCarthy said. “He just lost his way during the summer, but he was on song today and it wasn’t the strongest race on paper. Gary gave him a peach of a ride, that’s his third winner in three days and having dropped to three (pounds), he now needs to keep the ball rolling.

“I’m delighted for his owners John, Fergal and ‘Swanners’ (A Ballinoe Syndicate) as their first horse with me was unlucky, as he was ready to do a job but got injured.”

Double each

Gary Noonan completed a double of his own in the Cinco Patricio’s Handicap Hurdle on the Eric McNamara-trained Millstream Lady (28/1), in the colours of breeder Eamon Leahy.

Following the half-length success, McNamara stated: “She was very fit and well in herself, but I thought the ground might be too good for her, as all her form is on softer ground. That was the only worry but for a small mare, she has climbed up the ratings and has won from a mark of 120 now.”

ALEX Harvey continued his own excellent recent form with a third win at Killarney’s August meeting, as the 5lb-claimer landed the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle (Div II) on Give Him A Chance (9/2 joint favourite).

Owned by John O’Connor and Michael Gleeson, the six-year-old gelding arrived from mid-field to score an all-out head success over General Clermont, who had blundered at the final flight.

Winning trainer Philip Rothwell reported: “We rode the horse positively the last day, but he was just too keen. He travelled well into the straight then but didn’t get home, so I said to Alex to take his time. He gave him a super ride, was very polished and that’s his first winner for me.”

Highs and lows

There was an unfortunate conclusion to the Killarney Towers Hotel Novice Chase as recent Galway Blazers winner Turnpike Trip suffered a fatal injury at the third-last fence, having led to that point. Victory went to the Gordon Elliott-trained Boston Rover (9/4 favourite), who was left in front by Turnpike Trip’s exit and went on to score by three and a quarter lengths under Jack Kennedy.

Kennedy commented: “I don’t know what would have happened (had Turnpike Trip not gone wrong) and, while we had gone steady and my lad would have stayed galloping, Charles Byrnes’ horse might have been a quicker horse. It was unfortunate for them.

“Boston Rover is a nice horse and hopefully can keep progressing. Sometimes he has his own way of jumping but when he is right, he is quick to the other side of a fence.”

Wayward winner

The Killarney Glamping Bumper was won by the Joseph O’Brien-trained, Galileo-sired Galileo Sand (6/4 favourite), who scored in somewhat wayward fashion under champion amateur jockey Patrick Mullins. The four-year-old made all, but ran wide on the bend past the stands and was eventually ridden out for a two-length win.

Regarding the Bronsan Racing-owned winner, Mullins reported: “The cheek-pieces made him much more forward going. I had my stick in my left hand as we cut in and out (looking for better ground on the inner) but going around the bend past the stands, he went back to where we were at the start. We lost a good bit of ground there and, only for that, he’d have won under just hands and heels.

“He is fit, tough and stays well and is a nice horse who they’ll have a lot of fun with. He likes good ground and I’d imagine he can go up in trip no problem.”