THOSE who attended the Galway Blazers fixture were treated to some quality action with a number of bright prospects unleashed. Denis Murphy kick-started what, no doubt, will be another successful season when partnering up with Shane Cotter to land the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden.

Britway Belle (3/1 - 2/1), a home-bred by the Cotter family, hails from a strong National Hunt family, with her dam having also bred the talented Lord Schnitzel, who ironically won at this same fixture back in 2021 and The Dubai Way, a six-time winner on the track.

Patiently ridden for much of the race in mid-division, this daughter of Getaway made smooth headway before three out and quickened smartly to form a line of three jumping the last before going on to assert by a length over Three Mahlers.

“She’s a quick mare, she goes well,” Murphy said. “She was ready to run last season but mine got sick, so we let her out. She will win plenty of races.”

Anxious moments

Punters who took the short price of the well-fancied Nimba (1/1 favourite) experienced a few anxious moments before the off when he unshipped Derek O’Connor on the way to the start, shortly after exiting the parade ring.

However, once this son of Muhtathir jumped off concerns were quickly settled such was the ease in which he travelled and jumped throughout.

Having his second career start after posting a very encouraging debut at Oldtown back in February, he initially settled into the contest in mid-division before soon moving to track the leader in a handy second.

He travelled and jumped exceptionally well for the entire contest and looked a winner a long way from home, with O’Connor always exuding confidence aboard.

The pair took a share of the lead with The Skecher jumping two out, and forged into a narrow advantage jumping the last before staying on powerfully to score by a head for owner Walter Connors.

“His performance out there was brilliant, he never flinched once and jumped like a stag,” Pat Doyle said.

“He’s not a three-mile horse; he’s a very pacey horse. He has a big engine.”

Cool ride

The Enda Bolger-owned and trained Elusive Dreams (5/1) landed the spoils in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden in what was a commanding pillar-to-post victory under a cool Josh Halford ride.

Sent to post as one of just four debutants in the line-up, this son of Mahler settled well at the head of affairs and showed a fine professional attitude, fencing smoothly throughout.

He had many of his rivals toiling in his wake on the run to two out and quickened effortlessly on the run to the last to run out a comfortable seven-length victor.

The winner comes from a strong National Hunt pedigree with his dam a half-sister to Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth, and she has also bred several winners under rules, including Beaufort West and Cash The Cheque.

Speaking afterwards, Bolger commented: “I couldn’t ask any more of him. I was a small bit disappointed how dead the ground was today because he’s like a gazella to jump. He handled it well.

“He’s a horse with a good future. Tony Keane of Ballinroe bloodstock bred him, and he’s a half-brother to a few good horses. He was showing us plenty at home last season, but we just had to wait for him.”

PA King enjoyed a moment to savour when he partnered his milestone 200th winner between the flags aboard the Robert Moloney-owned and trained Miss Chipley (6/1), who took the spoils in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Having only run last week in Castletown-Geoghegan when pulling up, this daughter of Ol’ Man River clearly benefited from a quick turnaround and positive front-running tactics, as she held a commanding advantage of some 15 lengths at times and showed a great battling attitude to fend off the fast-finishing Radiator Springs by one length.

“The mare kind of took me along,” King said. “She jumped very good, so I was able to fill her up along the way. I was happy she was travelling everywhere with me.

“They went very quick last weekend, and she wasn’t getting her own way, the ground was tough as well that day, so he thought she might improve a good bit.”

Memorable afternoon

Young cork native Tom Aherne enjoyed a memorable afternoon when partnering All Rise Malone (5/1) to his first career success in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Sporting the colours of handler Eugene O’Sullivan, the Kingston Hill gelding was having his fourth career start and had recently run on the track at Killarney in July, where he finished seventh in a maiden hurdle.

That effort stood to him, as he took a big step forward. Patiently ridden for much of the contest, he quickened smartly on the run to the last and asserted close home from Way Down We Go to score by one length.

“I gave him a run during the summer to get him ready for pointing,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s a good jumper and a good, big horse. If he’s not sold, we will go for a winner-of-one race somewhere.”

DONNCHADH Doyle sent out his first winner of the season when Catalani (4/1) proved to be a cut above his rivals in the winners of one contest.

The Nenagh maiden winner had failed to build on that initial success with a number of subsequent disappointing non-completions, however, the Monbeg Syndicate-owned six-year-old bounced right back to form.

Having raced off the pace for much of the contest, this son of Lauro eased to the front two out and quickened smartly on the run to the last to open a commanding advantage, defeating the recent wide-margin maiden winner Escapefromreality by six lengths under Rob James.

“He was sick last season,” Doyle said. “He was working well at home this year and everything was looking good.

“He will stick with a winners’ race and we’ll try to find something that suits going forward.”

The Skecher (D. Doyle): this French-bred lost little in defeat, only going down by a head to a talented rival, as the pair pulled 12 lengths clear of the remainder.