IDYLLIC weather conditions no doubt contributed to the large numbers in attendance for the August Festival at Graun Hill, with general manager Owen Byrne reporting gate receipts to be well up on previous years.

While conspicuous by his absence, Henry de Bromhead still enjoyed a fruitful time of things, combining with Darragh O’Keeffe for a closing day double.

The pair struck first with Full Of Life in the Frank King Memorial Maiden Hurdle, with this 2/5 chance making all and easing to a six-and-a-half-length win in the colours of Roger Kissane.

“Bar the last day her form had been rock solid. She is 117-rated and for this time of year that’s strong enough for a maiden hurdle of this standard,” Robbie Power, representing de Bromhead, commented. “She was impressive today, jumped super and travelled really well.”

Queen takes her crown

With World Of Fortunes (13/8 favourite) underperforming and eventually pulling up, it was also rather straightforward for Cobra Queen in the Victoria House Tramore Mares Beginners Chase.

Returned a 4/1 chance, the Matt Fitzgerald-owned six-year-old raced in second behind the front-running Littlebiggie, taking over from that rival on the approach to two out. Ridden and extending her advantage before the last, she ultimately eased to a six-and-a-half length win.

“That was a good performance. They went a good gallop on the good ground, and it played to her strengths,” Power reflected.

With four winners apiece over the course of the Festival, de Bromhead, who was at the sales in Deauville, and O’Keeffe later picked up the leading trainer and jockey prizes.

BACK to right a wrong in the McCarthy’s Irish Bar Lexington Handicap Chase, Tullyveery Lad justified 7/2 favouritism (from 5s) in this feature contest. Unseating when 5/4 in last year’s renewal, the Ray Cody-trained nine-year-old had been knocking on the door in recent starts.

Racing in rear and struggling to keep up with the strong early pace, he gradually warmed to the task under Donagh Meyler and was poised to challenge on the outer approaching the penultimate fence, where Big Island, who held a narrow lead, came to grief.

Owned by Cody’s son and namesake along with Pat Tennyson and Noel Morrissey, the bay victor was soon ridden and got to the front at the last, drawing clear of Arrycan to score by four and a quarter lengths.

“He’s probably not as quick as he once was and everything was happening too quick today,” the winning handler reported.

“I knew if he could get in among them that all he was going to do was come home and once he started passing one or two coming up the hill, he got competitive. It’s a grand pot to win and he won here at the festival last year as well.”

’He’s our star’

It was a similar story for Itsalonglongroad (6/1) in the Heinz Pollmeier Memorial Handicap Chase, with this admirable Charles Coakley-trained bay falling in this very contest 12 months ago.

Making no mistake this time around, the now 12-time winner pretty much led from pillar to post under Shane O’Callaghan.

Strongly pressed and joined two out, he was ridden and regained a narrow lead from the last, keeping on gamely from there to beat Lady Rose Hackett (3/1 favourite) by three quarters of a length.

“Any horse that you bring here and wins five times, you’d be delighted with,” successful owner Patrick O’Leary remarked. “He is an 11-year-old with 108 runs under his belt and still tries like that. It’s hard to put it into words really. He’s our star.”

SOMETHING Fabulous (9/2) continued John McConnell’s strong start to August, as she got the better of Run For Mahler (1/1 favourite) in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares INH Flat Race.

Never far from the pace under Finn Buckley, the Pimlico Racing Ireland-owned five-year-old improved into a share of the lead with less than half a mile to go.

Gaining an outright advantage from the two-furlong pole, she needed to be ridden out in the closing stages to hold off the market leader by three quarters of a length, with the pair drawing clear of the third.

“She’s a filly I pushed to buy and ran a lovely race in her point-to-point (finished second),” McConnell, who was registering his eighth winner of the month, said.

“Things didn’t go according to plan for her in Galway, but she’s a really nice filly and I think she’ll keep progressing. Finn gave her a lovely uncomplicated ride.”

Settling Migdam

Buckley’s father and brother, Ned and Kieren, had earlier claimed the opening Willis Towers Watson Maiden Hurdle with Migdam.

An eye-catching fifth on his debut for current connections at Ballinrobe last month, the four-time flat winner was sent off a 3/1 chance in the colours of the Enduring Love Syndicate.

Racing in a first-time hood and not fluent on occasions, the six-year-old bay was settled in mid-division, taking closer order on the outer from the third last flight.

Soon improving into a share of the lead, he gained an outright advantage before the next and kicked clear approaching the last, keeping on well when ridden to score by five and a half lengths.

“Kieren has done a lot of work with him at home, schooling him, getting him to settle and getting him to switch off and there is the result today,” the winning handler explained.

Surviving a close finish

It was a lot closer in the Frank Gillane Memorial Handicap Hurdle, with less than a length and a half separating the first four home.

Making the breakthrough on his 40th start, the Jimmy Barcoe-trained Surviving Murmansk (4/1) was the one who just prevailed, benefitting from a patient Harry Sexton ride.

Ridden before the penultimate obstacle and making continued headway on the outer, the 73-rated grey powered to the front on the run-in and beat 5/4 favourite May Call You Back by half a length.

“It is brilliant to get the win for the owner (Sean Delaney), he has always been very good to me. It means a lot,” Barcoe reflected. “He is a lovely horse to deal with and has a great manner. He deserved that”