MICHAEL Kenneally kept his hopes of winning the conditional jockeys’ title alive when riding a treble. The Liz Lalor-trained Crohan Lady got the Corkman off to a flyer when staying on strongly to win the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Prominent from the outset, the James Condon-owned and bred 9/2 chance took over in front before the fifth flight. Strongly pressed by Nirisque entering the straight, the eventual winner asserted on the run to the last, drawing clear to score by four lengths.

Kenneally said: “I wanted to sit second or third, but they just weren’t going fast enough. She won a point-to-point and I knew she’d outstay anything. She winged the second last and was good again at the last, she was honest to the line.”

Kennealy brought up the double when guiding the Michael Barry-owned and trained Tedworth to a first career win in the Anne Valley Walk Handicap Hurdle.

Held up towards rear, the 9/1 chance made rapid progress around the outside of runners to lead at the penultimate flight. Strongly pressed by Quietrunsthedon between the final two hurdles, Tedworth kept on best to win by three-quarters of a length.

Pleasant surprise

Michael ‘Trixie’ Barry said: “That was a pleasant surprise to tell you the truth. I didn’t think he’d be forward enough. I hadn’t a whole lot done with him, but maybe he is better that way, running fresh, sometimes they are.

“I left the cheekpieces off him, I had them on last year. I thought he might have been a bit lazy, but it didn’t seem to make any difference to him today. He is a fun horse for the summer, that’s all you’d want.”

Ross O’Sullivan provided Kenneally with win number three, as Spanish Maid took the concluding SETU Students Day April 20th Handicap Chase.

Sent off 1/1 favourite, the Rory Larkin-owned eight-year-old was making the breakthrough on her 20th career start. Moving strongly on the heels of the leaders after two out, Kenneally led jumping the last, staying on well to win by two and a half lengths.

O’Sullivan, who was completing a double on the afternoon, said: “She is a grand filly, jumps well and has plenty of experience. It wasn’t the strongest of races, but in her own bracket she could be capable of winning again. She has a nice mark and as I said, it was a very weak race.”

DANNY Gilligan had earlier earned the plaudits aboard O’Sullivan’s well-backed Nettuno Italia in the Core Bullion Traders Handicap Chase. Available at 10/1 in early shows, the John Place-owned and bred six-year-old was eventually returned the 9/4 favourite.

Coming with his challenge on the inner before the last and soon improving into a share of the lead, Gilligan became unbalanced when his saddle slipped on the run-in. Despite this, the Galway native cajoled his mount into an outright lead close home to beat Aclass by a neck.

“The saddle slipped and Danny was lucky to stay on,” O’Sullivan said. “He is kind of a long and narrow horse. We even have those non-slip girths and things on him, but he is just that shape.

“The track probably wasn’t ideal for him. He is a big horse and would prefer a galloping track. He’ll make a grand three-mile chaser and he has a good attitude.”

Third on his recent debut for trainer Henry de Bromhead, Polepatrick went two places better when registering a first career success in the Copper Coast Maiden Hurdle. Sent off 13/8 favourite in the familiar colours of Mrs P J Conway, the gelding led three out under jockey Darragh O’Keeffe. Strongly pressed between the final two flights, the six-year-old survived a mistake at the last to win by 13 lengths.

O’Keeffe said: “He is a big horse and I’d say going around here will make a man of him as well. I missed the last with a circuit to go but winged the next. I thought it was riding yielding, good to yielding in places today and I think he appreciated that. It was a good performance.”

WELL-backed from early shows of 13/2, Don’t Tell Jack easily accounted for nine rivals in the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle. Returned a 7/4 joint-favourite, the six-year-old raced in second under Charlie O’Dwyer, before improving into a share of the lead on the downhill run after three out.

Getting to the front before the next, he quickly increased his advantage and ultimately came home 16-lengths clear in the colours of J.P. McManus.

“The kinder ground is definitely a big factor to him and this was a nice race to find,” winning trainer Enda Bolger said. “We’ll be following the summer races for him as he likes the nicer ground. He is rated 111 over fences and we could throw him into something later on too.”

Close finish

Having been amongst the winners at Down Royal the previous Sunday, jockey Gary Noonan added another success when riding the Eoin McCarthy-trained Kilbrin Rocco to win the West Waterford Novice Handicap Chase.

Sent off 6/1 in the colours of owner/breeder Jim Curtin, the seven-year-old led after jumping three out. Keeping on well into the dip, the gelding held on well close home to hold Torquay Road by a neck.

Up to scratch

Noonan: “His last two runs weren’t up to scratch, I don’t know why, maybe it was the ground or something. I fancied him coming here today. We probably got left in front a little bit soon and he was probably just a little bit idle going down to the last.

“If I had a lead going to the last, I think he would have done it a little bit better. He was tough, put his head down and galloped the whole way to the line.”