AFTER registering 206 and 108 winners respectively in Ireland last season, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend got their first winner of the new campaign when Gold Dancer won the opening Hotel Minella Beginners Chase.

Disappointing since arriving from France, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned six-year-old was still sent off favourite, drifting from 7/4 to 3/1.

In a share of the lead early on, the Doctor Dino bay gained a definite advantage from the fifth.

Not fluent four out and again at the second last, he was soon pressed by Le Coq Hardi but shot clear of that rival from the final fence, eventually coming home four lengths to the good.

“He had been very disappointing but had the previous run over fences and is a big chaser,” the winning rider commented.

“He makes lengths over fences so that might just bring him up to a competitive level somewhere.”

Mullins and Townend were out of luck with You Oughta Know (11/8 favourite) in the Ryans Cleaning Beginners Chase, with this one unseating at the second.

Despite a market drift, the Gordon Elliott-trained Western Fold (7/1 from 11/4) ran out a comfortable winner of this 15-runner contest, leading for much of the race under Danny Gilligan.

Kicked on

Making a mistake at the fifth, the 134-rated victor was pressed from three out, but kicked on again from the next, drawing clear on the run-in to win by eight lengths in the colours of Weld-Spec (Glasgow) Ltd and Dee L’Estrange.

“It was a nice performance, Danny gave him a lovely ride and said he got the run of the race,” Lisa O’Neill, representing Elliott, remarked. “He’ll keep going for the summer.”

After St Faz won the Botanica International Handicap Chase, his trainer Edward O’Grady reported that the winner will continue over the summer months.

Third on his last four starts and returned the 5/2 favourite (from 5s early) under Darragh O’Keeffe, the five-year-old improved into a share of the lead approaching the straight

Ridden and gaining an outright advantage before the last, the Aidan Ryan-owned bay kept on well for pressure on the run-in and was two and a quarter-lengths clear at the line.

“My horses have been running well but have been placed rather than winning and I’m very pleased this fellow won,” O’Grady reflected.

“He is still a novice so can run in those novice handicaps in the summer.

“Hopefully he can progress.”

Ahern on mark for first track win

THE Rebel County provided Josh Ahern with a success he’ll never forget in the Buy Tickets Online Novice Hunters Chase.

While he already has five point-to-point wins to his name, the 20-year-old Bartlemy native was registering his first on the racecourse proper.

Owned and trained by his father Garrett, Ahern positioned his mount prominently on the outer and raced in second for much of the contest.

Edging to the front on the approach to the straight, the 10/1 chance (from 16s) drew clear on the run to the last and eventually came home eight lengths to the good.

“We fancied him as he won his confined point-to-point nicely,” the winning rider divulged.

“All winter I was waiting and waiting to ride this horse as he seemed to do things easy and was happy in himself. Hopefully he can go on now.”

Family win

It was also a family affair in the Join Racing TV Now With A Free Month Trial Handicap Chase, with Alex Ott and his son Luke successfully combining with Inchidaly Copper.

Out of action since winning at Killarney in October, the Owen O’Flynn-owned chesnut snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Gaining a narrow lead from two out, the 12/1 chance (from 20s) was far from fluent at the last and soon found himself three-lengths in arrears.

Rallying gamely on the run-in and regaining the lead in the final strides, the 101-rated victor ultimately prevailed by a neck, denying perennial bridesmaid In The Trenches.

“He’s only in six weeks and we thought he’d need a run, so it shows how much we know!” the winning handler quipped. “The main thing is to keep him fresh and interested.”

THERE was controversy at the start of the Millennium Surveys Ltd Mares Point-To-Point INH Flat Race, with Peter Fahey’s Chosen Comrade eventually coming out on top.

The 85/40 chance and two others went what appeared to be the correct side of a ‘doll’ shortly after the tape was released, with the remaining eight going the other way.

The field quickly converged though, with the John Gleeson-ridden victor, who won a point-to-point on debut when in the care of Gary Murphy, soon disputing the lead.

Gaining an outright advantage approaching the straight, the Paul Leech-owned four-year-old skipped clear from the two-furlong pole and eventually came home two and a quarter-lengths to the good.

“Paul picked her out after she won her point-to-point, as she was the fastest winner of the day,” Fahey disclosed.

Competitive

“She’ll be left off now and hopefully will be competitive against the big boys over the winter.”

Regarding the start, an IHRB official later said: “Regulation 9 states that a doll must be used in conjunction with a bundle of birch at one end and that bundle of birch designates the correct course. As there was no birch on the doll, no rider took the wrong course.” The doll was notably absent for the Millennium Surveys Ltd Point-To-Point INH Flat Race, with Quakerstown winner Stanners Glen leading home 11 rivals in this concluding heat.

Trained by Robert Tyner and well-supported from 12s to 7s, the Mount Nelson bay took closer order over five furlongs out and gained a narrow lead on the approach to the straight.

Ridden with over a furlong to go, the David Cotter-owned six-year-old found plenty for pressure under Josh Williamson and was two and three-quarters of a length clear at the line. “He just took a small bit of time,” Tyner reported. “It looked a competitive race in Quakerstown but, being a six-year-old, he had to do more than win his point-to-point, so we said we’d come here. He’ll probably go to the Doncaster Sales now.”