TATTERSALLS has certainly proven to be a happy hunting ground for Paul Bailie. Eighteen months ago, the Meath course played host to the 25-year-old’s first winner as a handler when Votre Sante landed a match race.

Last Sunday, Bailie made a second successful trip to Tattersalls, as Boldplay doubled his career tally when she opened her account in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Placed in three of her four outings in the sphere last season, the six-year-old was ridden along to chase the market-leading pair into the home straight.

However, the six-year-old found generously for pressure under William Hamilton to deny the recent Loughrea third Soldier Girl by two lengths.

“I moved up to Broughshane a couple of months ago, and me and William are working together,” Bailie reported following the two-length success of Boldplay, one of five horses that he has in training.

“We are 10 minutes from Philip McBurney, and use his gallop once or twice a week. I’m delighted for us.”

Too easy for this Lad

Dara McGill is unlikely to ride an easier winner all season, as he barely broke a sweat aboard Ballyglunin Lad (3/1 – 5/1) en route to a dominant 30-length success in the Q Stone five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

With the favourite Presidential Order falling at the first, bringing down Kilnesare Warrior in the process, the task facing the Adrian Murray-trained Feel Like Dancing gelding was simplified, and he took full advantage by making all of the running to defeat Canal Lock without being challenged.

“He was in his comfort zone the whole time, but he is a relentless galloper, a big striding horse, and gets lengths at his fences,” Murray stated of the bay whom he owns with Carmel Burke and Aidan Fagan. “My horses weren’t right at all in the spring, and after his last run here, we left him off for the summer and he has come along for it.”

Clear-cut triumph

Now U Have It (3/1) registered a clear-cut victory in the four-year-old mares’ maiden for handler John Berry. Her supporters had few moments of concern as she dismissed the newcomer Faithfulocean by two and a half lengths in a true family success for the Berry’s.

Owned by Shirley Berry, wife of the winning handler, it was their son Josh in the saddle as she became a second winner from two runners in the pointing sphere for the offspring of Phoenix Of Spain.

“Her work had been very good, so we were hopeful as she really loves jumping,” the Tomhaggard-based handler reported.

“She jumped away and travelled well. The trip is no problem, and ground will be no problem for her either; it’s onwards and upwards now.”

THE recent run of success for Colin Bowe’s stable continued, sending out a double on the card which was kick-started by Cluain Meala (3/1 favourite) in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

One of the most experienced runners in the line-up on what was his fourth career start, the Sholokhov gelding was turned out just seven days after coming a cropper at the first in Tinahely.

Benefitting from a well-judged Barry O’Neill ride to come from off the pace, he was produced to challenge at the last before overhauling newcomer Killyman to triumph by half a length.

“I’m delighted with that,” Bowe reported of the chesnut gelding who Mags O’Toole purchased for €52,000 at last year’s Arkle sale.

“Barry gave him a super ride; he felt they were going an awful gallop, so he took his time, and he should be a nice staying horse.”

Wave a winner

The Milestone Stables team have now sent out eight winners from their last 22 runners, with Surf The Wave (2/1 – 5/2) Bowe’s latest winner after he too came from off the pace to land the unplaced maiden.

A penultimate fence faller at Loughrea in the spring whilst holding placed prospects, there were no such difficulties for the British-bred son of Gentlewave.

A length-and-a-half defeat of Star Charm saw rider Ronan McParland add to a recent first racecourse victory at Punchestown with his third success of the season in the pointing sphere.

“It’s been a brilliant start to the season,” the Kildare rider stated. “There are a lot of good people behind me. I still have plenty to work on to improve, but hopefully I’ll keep kicking and stay sound.”

LIFETIME Ambition (evens – 5/4 favourite) became the first horse of the season to win two races after he supplemented his Castletown-Geoghegan victory a fortnight earlier, with a similar front-running success in the novice rider’s open.

James Sampson enjoyed a largely uncontested lead aboard Timmy O’Byrne’s 11-year-old, and although West Of Idaho tried to throw down a challenge at the final fence, the Jack Doyle-trained Lifetime Ambition repelled that rival by a length to register his ninth victory between the flags.

“James said he was only waiting for a bit of company the whole way; he wasn’t doing a stroke in the straight,” Doyle reported after saddling his third winner of the season.

“He is a great old horse. He has great enthusiasm, but he has a brain as well; he won’t overdo himself. He is a horse with a big cruising speed.”

Horse to follow

Killyman (W. R. Crawford): This son of Primary stood out in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, racing up with the pace and only overhauled late on.