GLEN Kiln was a popular and fitting winner of the Naas Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas last Sunday, when scoring for owner Michael Bowe in the Grade 3 contest.

The Famous Name gelding is a relative of the Bowe family’s former star and gave a good impression with a tough front-running performance under Brian Hayes. The 4/1 shot dug deep up the hill to record a length victory over even-money shot Karbau.

Harry Kelly, who took over the training of Glen Kiln again last year, said: “You couldn’t have written the script. It’s brilliant for Michael and John (Bowe).

“I’m just so delighted to have a horse like him. We think he’ll be a really good chaser next year. Brian gave him a great ride; he went a good honest gallop on the ground the whole way. His jumping was class today.

“We’ll see how he is in the morning and make plans with him then. That level is perfect for him, you’d be hoping he might step up over fences.”

WILLIE Mullins had to settle for second in the feature event, but made hay elsewhere on the card with a treble.

Love Sign d’Aunou sprang to the head of the betting for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham with a highly impressive performance on his track debut.

Patrick Mullins cut out the running on the 5/4 favourite and Rich Ricci’s gelding kicked clear over a furlong from home for a commanding 24-length success.

The winning rider said: “He was very good, but he doesn’t quite show that at home. I think he’s probably relentless and has a really high cruising speed.

“Jasmin De Vaux won this bumper before, but he’d be a very different type of horse than him. I’d imagine he’s a Cheltenham horse. He could be along the lines of Florida Pearl, those Cheltenham bumper horses.”

Better chaser

Argento Boy could also be on the boat after his win in the Grade 3 Finlay Ford Novice Chase in the colours of Audrey Turley.

Paul Townend led going to the last on the 5/2 favourite and he stayed on strongly in the closing stages to win the three-mile contest by two and a half lengths.

Assistant trainer David Casey said: “That was good, he kept galloping well. Paul said he enjoys those extreme distances and the ground wasn’t an issue. He said he travels better, and attacks his fences better than he did hurdles. He didn’t have much respect for hurdles.

“He’ll probably be entered in all the chases at Cheltenham. I said to Paul that the Irish National might be a race for him but we’ll see. All those long-distance staying races are options.”

Plan B

Mullins ran three in the opening four-year-old maiden hurdle and it was Kai Lung who proved best for the Slaneyville Syndicate.

Danny Mullins made all on the 6/1 shot and he kept on well from the last to win by two lengths.

“He did it well,” Casey commented. “It wasn’t the plan to make it, but it looked like there was no pace and he can be a little bit keen, so Danny thought he’d settle a bit in front.

“Even at that he was a bit gassy, but he jumped well. It was a good performance, I thought, in the end in that ground.”

TOM Cooper was delighted to see Shuttle Diplomacy back at his best, when claiming the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle in fine style.

The 11/4 shot travelled well into contention two from home and struck the lead before the final flight to post a cosy four-and-a-quarter length win under Daniel King.

“He’s a proper one when he’s right,” said Cooper of Ciaran Mooney’s gelding, who was third in last year’s Cheltenham Bumper.

“There is a mixture of speed and stamina in his pedigree and it’s coming through there now. I’d say he’ll probably rock up in Cheltenham now. The Turners would be the one obvious one.”

Cheltenham considered

A trip to the festival was also mentioned as a possibility for Matt Connor after his easy victory under Keith Donoghue in the Albert Bartlett Qualifier Handicap Hurdle.

The 14/1 shot cruised into contention two from home and kicked on before the last for a six-and-a-half length win in the colours of Adrian Sheils.

“He was very good, I’m delighted with him,” trainer Philip Dempsey said. “He jumped great and he handled the ground well.

“He might give them a day out in the Coral Cup or something and the final of this race is also worth considering as it’s a €100,000 race. Obviously, he’ll get a fair hike for that though.”

Lucky race

Rusheen made a successful start for Terence O’Brien when scoring at 28/1 in the concluding Clinton Higgins Accountants Novice Handicap Chase. Phillip Enright had his mount prominent throughout and he led approaching the last to score by four lengths.

“We’re delighted with him,” the winning trainer reported after the race. “We actually won this race last year with Answer To Kayf and the year before James Dullea won it. James is involved with this horse and we got him from James, so it’s a bit of a coincidence.

“He’s a big horse, ground conditions suited and he jumped great. Phillip gave him a super ride. He was on an ideal weight, bottom weight, on heavy ground.”