A HALF-sister to dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo, Al Arrivee (4/5 favourite) impressively dismissed 14 rivals in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares INH Flat Race. A €56,000 Arqana yearling purchase, the Tunis five-year-old was beaten into second on debut at Galway in October.

Trained by Willie Mullins, owned by his wife Jackie and ridden by their son Patrick, the market leader eased to the front from the furlong pole and readily stretched clear, winning decisively by four and a quarter lengths.

“We think a lot of her,” the winning rider reflected. “We were very disappointed when she got beaten the first day. Willie gave her a bit of time and she has improved.

“She’s quite valuable and I think my mother has her eye on her for breeding. We’re hoping she’s a blacktype mare and she’s well up to winning a winners’ bumper.”

Should, would, could and did

The easy-to-back Quantum Boy (3/1 joint-favourite from 8/13 early) was the other Mullins representative on this seven-race programme, but he finished down the field in the RSS Record Storage Service Maiden Hurdle.

Starting off over flights, Shudawudacuddagh claimed this 16-runner contest, providing Kevin Sexton with his third success in the space of two days.

Beaten 14 lengths into second in a bumper over the course and distance last month, the James Fahey-trained five-year-old raced mainly in fifth and took closer order on the outer approaching the penultimate flight.

Travelling best on the run to the last, the 14/1 chance was forced left on the run-in by Saint Peregrine and battled past that rival inside the final 100 yards, coming home half a length to the good for the Lalor family.

“He obviously improved a little bit from his bumper,” Fahey remarked. “He battled today and maybe he’s just learning how to race. He’s a home-bred and the boys (Harry and Joe Lalor) should have plenty of fun with him.”

Tidy performance

Fahey and Sexton were just denied a quick double in the Crawford Tiles And More Handicap Hurdle, with their Spick And Span narrowly beaten by Navy Guitar (6/1 from 10s early).

Making all under Kieren Buckley, the Adrian Murray-trained victor was pressed by the eventual runner-up on bypassing the penultimate flight.

Not fluent over the last, he needed to be ridden out on the run-in to prevail by three quarters of a length in the colours of owner and breeder James Wallace.

“He had a tongue-tie on today (for a second time) and Adrian said he’d probably strip fitter today than he did in Tipperary,” said Buckley, who was registering his fifth winner in the space of 11 days. “Bar for a couple of strides after the last I was never really in too much bother and he showed a great attitude up to the line.”

ON the mark at Roscommon the previous evening courtesy of Boston Rover, Gordon Elliott and owner Derek Barry again successfully combined in the Glasshouse Hotel Qualified Riders Handicap Hurdle with Boston Rajj.

Tackling this extended three-mile and one-furlong trip for the first time, the 105-rated chesnut was settled behind the leaders by Harry Swan.

Moving off the rail before two out and soon coming with his challenge between horses, the 11/2 chance was pushed along to lead approaching the straight. He soon skipped clear, ultimately easing to a nine-and-a-half-length win - his first success from eight career starts. “He was a bit keen the whole way and I just wanted to get him settled in behind a horse,” Swan explained.

“I was happy enough the whole way and to be fair to him he took me all the way up the hill. It was easy.”

Classy veteran

It was also straightforward for Embittered in the opening Knocknarea Claiming Hurdle, with this Eric McNamara-trained 11-year-old outclassing his six rivals.

Previously in the care of Joseph O’Brien and Gordon Elliott, and successful in Grade 3 company over fences, the Tadhg Moynihan-owned victor was tried in cheekpieces for the first time.

Well-supported from 2/1 into 6/4 favouritism, the Fame And Glory bay made all under Paddy O’Brien and just needed to be pushed out on the run-in, coming home four and a quarter lengths to the good.

“He was the class horse in the race. I got to bounce out and boss it from there. He was good,” O’Brien reported.

Both the second and third, Must Meet Cecil (€10,000) and Rockview Roman (€4,000), were later claimed by Eric McNamara and Mickey Bowen respectively.

Norman Lee returns to winning ways

LADIAM registered a second course and distance win in the Connaught Bottlers Handicap Hurdle, marking a first success in nine months for trainer Norman Lee.

Second four times since her sole previous triumph back in August of 2022, the Tommy & James Walsh Partnership-owned eight-year-old tracked the leaders under Gary Noonan, improving to lead before two out.

Ridden away from the final flight, the 15/2 chance battled gamely on the run-in, holding off the effort of Love Like This by half a length, with Cois Fharraige and Loughrask Rainbow close-up in third and fourth respectively.

“It’s one of the sweetest wins we’ve had in a long time, for different reasons. It’s good to get it, we needed that,” Lee disclosed.

“We’ve had a barren spell and had a lot of poor horses, but the cream always rises to the top and we can do the job the same as anyone else.”

Fine run continues

Registering a third winner in little over a month, Paul Kiely claimed the Stephen Mullins & Sons Mares Maiden Hurdle with Nashville Notions.

Well-supported from 11/2 into 7/2 favouritism, the Milan five-year-old raced in mid-division under Liam Quinlan. Improving to challenge on the inner on the approach to the straight, the 96-rated victor led before the bypassed final flight and was ridden out inside the last 150 yards, coming home two and a half lengths to the good. Our Girl Ellie claimed runners-up honours

“On her Cork run (fifth of 16) she was entitled to be there,” Kiely, who trains the bay victor for his father Richard, commented.

“We’ll see what the handicapper does. We might give her a small break as she was point-to-pointing and has been on the go a little while.”