THAT Gordon Elliott recorded a double at Sligo’s all-chase card on Wednesday was, in itself, nothing out of the ordinary but what was certainly unusual was that both of his winners were returned at the generous odds of 18/1.

Despite a damp afternoon, the stand was thronged for student race day and a lively crowd saw point-to-point winner Stretchemout open her account under Rules when keeping on best under Jack Kennedy to land the Gracie’s Bar Beginners Chase.

Owned by Gerry King, Nick Courtney, Joe Murphy and Conor Brett, the Elliott-trained mare had been well beaten on her fencing debut at Downpatrick, but clearly benefited from that experience.

Having moved into contention three out, she battled well on the run-in to score by a neck from Hurricane Honey. Kennedy said: “The step up in trip suited her. She was on her head the whole way at Downpatrick and jumped a bit big early on there.

“That probably sharpened her up and she was much slicker over her fences today. She’s a big mare with plenty of scope, loved the ground and hopefully there’ll be a few more days with her.”

Smart form

Riaan had shown smart form in valuable handicaps at the spring festivals and bounced back from a couple of disappointing efforts in the summer to complete the Elliott double in the Solar Generation Chase.

Philip Reynold’s eight-year-old, who was winning for the first time in over two years, travelled strongly off the pace and came through to lead at the last before staying on best to score by three and three quarter lengths from market leader Jesse Evans.

Winning jockey Danny Gilligan said: “I’m delighted for the horse to get his head back in front and a small-runner field suited him. I was just following them around and riding him to pick up whatever pieces I could, and it all worked out well.

“He picked up well going to the last and probably wasn’t doing a whole pile in front.”

Gilligan’s double

Gilligan went on to register a double of his own aboard the Yvonne Dunleavy-trained Ballagh Star (3/1 favourite), who repeated last year’s victory in the Brenda Anderson Memorial Handicap Chase.

Peter Curran’s seven-year-old was always in the front rank and fended off a couple of challengers in the straight to score by half a length from Tennesse Boy.

Patrick Dunleavy, husband of the winning trainer, said: “He came into form at the right time in his last couple of runs and, once he goes beyond three miles, it suits him because stamina is his strong point.

“He had a hard race in Ballinrobe, but he spends a lot of time in the field and freshened up well.

“Our son Niall rides him out at home, so it’s great for all the family. Danny is a great rider and only lives about five miles from us.”

TRAINED by Willie Mullins for J.P. McManus, Jalila Moriviere (3/10 favourite) proved far too strong for a quartet of rivals when making a winning debut over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase.

In front from early, the daughter of Joshua Tree stretched clear from three out and coasted home to beat Ad Caelum by 24 lengths.

Rider Paul Townend said: “Fences have made her a faster mare. She jumped well. She goes forward, attacks them and seems to figure them out herself. She just got in tight to a couple, but it’s a tight track and she was trying to get on with it.”

Final fence blunder

The outcome of the Christy “Frosty” Callaghan Memorial Beginners Chase was in the balance at the final fence, where longtime leader Telecon was joined by Addragoole.

The former clipped the top and came down at that obstacle, leaving the way clear for the Gavin Cromwell-trained Addragoole (2/1 favourite) to score by one and three quarter lengths from Blaze The Way.

Rider Keith Donoghue said of the Addragoole Partnership’s six-year-old: “He had the form in the book and had a good run in Galway. I felt like I had the other horse covered at the last, but it’s only an opinion. We stayed up and we won, thankfully. We went a good even gallop and there were a lot of solid horses in it.”

SECOND three times over hurdles and just touched off when again runner-up on his chasing debut at Wexford, The Striker Dylan (5/2 favourite) wasn’t winning out of turn when landing the Frank O’Beirne Memorial Handicap Chase.

Brian Hayes tracked the leaders on the Affinisea gelding and produced him to lead on the run to the last. The seven-year-old stayed on well to post a length and three quarters victory over Due Course.

Trainer Liam Cusack said: “He came up against a few improvers over hurdles. When we started schooling him over fences, he jumped well and he ran a lovely race in Wexford.

“We quietly fancied him but it’s very competitive in Ireland, so any day you have a winner is a good day. I’m delighted for his owner John Murray. His grandson Dylan is here. He’s a good soccer player, and is a striker, hence the name!”

Profitable

Trained by Darren Collins for the Profit In Your Pocket Racing Club, dual hurdles winner Sayitfirst (15/2) recorded her first win over fences in the Eddie McAllister Memorial Novice Handicap Chase.

Gavin Brouder’s mount headed front-runner Clonshire River after the last to win by three and a half lengths.

Brouder said: “Darren told me she’s not the strongest of stayers, but she jumps and travels and to keep filling her up everywhere. She gave me a super jump at the last, landed running and kept quickening to the line. The chase track here suits a sharp horse like her.”