JOHN Ryan tends to excel over the summer months and, after saddling a winner the previous evening at Killarney, he combined with Daniel King for two more on this seven-race programme.

The pair struck first with the front-running Kate Knows Best in the DecoClip Construction Company Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.

A beaten favourite when last seen at Ballinrobe in August, she jumped left at times in this 11-runner contest and was joined by 11/4 favourite Kabylia approaching the straight.

Ridden away from the last, the successful 3/1 chance (from 11/2 early) soon drew clear of the market leader, with three and a half lengths between them at the line.

“She’s a lovely mare. She got a big splint last year after pulling up a bit lame in Ballinrobe and we minded her. We gave her loads of time,” Ryan, who owns this Mount Nelson seven-year-old, commented.

Dramatic

There was a dramatic conclusion to the Enda McGoldrick Plant & Agri Hire Maiden Hurdle, with Huntsgrove, also carrying Ryan’s own colours, lunging late to justify 5/6 favouritism (from 11/8 early).

The front-running Grandy Lane looked set to score approaching the last in this two-and-a-half-mile heat, but he blundered at that obstacle, with his rider Keith Donoghue losing his whip on the run-in.

Hampered at the first before soon settling behind the leaders, the bay victor wasn’t fluent two out and, while appearing held on the run to the last, he found plenty for pressure on the run-in, getting up in the final strides to prevail by a head.

“Everything went wrong in the race, he was nearly brought down at the first,” Ryan reflected.

“He’s a good horse, you’ll see him in good novice hurdles and three miles is his trip.”

ON his first start for John Cullen, Cornmarket sprung a surprise in the Johnston Farm Equipment Handicap Hurdle, providing his Ballina-based handler with an initial success.

Taking over the licence from his father Jimmy back in 2018, Cullen hadn’t saddled a runner in nearly a year and a half.

The subject of some market support (22/1 from 66s), the Elzaam six-year-old tracked the leaders under Alan King and, while needing to be switched to the nearside approaching the bypassed final flight, he soon surged to the front.

Readily stretching clear from there, he ultimately eased to a six-length win, providing King with a second track success, four and a half years after his first.

“I’m delighted. He had been going really well at home,” Cullen, who also owns the successful bay, disclosed.

All systems go

“We took a gap last year because we bought a farm, but hopefully it’s all systems go now.

“We have a few in, but I could do with more supplies. If I get more tools, I’ll make more masterpieces!”

It was even easier for Cosmos D’ainay (1/2 favourite) in the concluding Summer Is Coming Sligo INH Flat Race, with this five-year-old completing a cross-card double for Gordon Elliott.

Bought by current connections for £165,000 after falling on his sole point-to-point start, the son of Muhtathir was last seen finishing third at Clonmel.

Never far from the pace under Josh Williamson, the KTDA Racing-owned chesnut made his way to the front with three-furlongs to go and eased clear in the straight, ultimately sauntering to a 14-length win.

“He got a bit lit up passing the stands with a circuit to go, but he picked up well and it was simple enough the whole way,” the winning rider reported. “He should be a nice horse going forward.”

Wide-margin victor

Owned and trained by Gavin Cromwell, the easy-to-back Kamino Bello (9/2 from 13/8 early) was another wide-margin victor, with this bay five-year-old coming home 13 lengths to the good in the opening Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle.

While Faithful Follower (10/11 favourite from 13/8) and Monnow Valley shot clear early on the final circuit, Conor Stone-Walsh was content to bide his time on the winner.

With the market leader fading after the second last, Stone-Walsh sent his mount to the front approaching the straight and he kept on strongly from there.

“I thought we were going a grand normal speed and the two went at it when we passed the line with a lap to go,” the winning rider explained.

“I just left them off as I didn’t want to gun my lad, I wanted to give him a chance to finish off and thankfully he did.”

“PLENTY of them had a chance, so if we had no winner today it would have been a disaster,” Mark McNiff reflected after completing a double in the Kevin Egan Cars Peugeot Handicap Hurdle.

The local handler saddled Ilbdare to victory in this near three-mile two-furlong contest, with the Peter Wall-owned five-year-old kept wide throughout by Phillip Enright.

Available at 8s before some defections, the Fascinating Rock bay eventually went off the clear favourite at 15/8.

Fitted with a first-time tongue strap and improving into second approaching the last, he was soon ridden to close on the front-running Arrycan.

Swept by

With the final flight omitted due to the low-lying sun, the market leader swept by his rival inside the last 100 yards and came home a length to the good.

“He maybe doesn’t travel that brilliantly to the races, but had only five minutes to come today,” McNiff remarked.

“Phillip and Michael McElhone deserve the credit. I used to work for Michael years ago and he said after Tramore to maybe do a bit less with him.”

McNiff had earlier claimed the Strandhill Caravan Park Handicap Hurdle with the Martin McGowan-owned Moulane West (6/1).

The Patrick O’Brien-ridden nine-year-old led from pillar to post and had all his rivals off the bridle on the approach to the straight, ultimately coasting to a 10-length win.

“We thought he would have won a race last year, but he just didn’t,” McNiff divulged.

“I thought he’d want a flatter track, but the owner lives nearby, so he was always going to have to run here. It’s great for him.”