FEW stables in the country have their horses in the type of rude health that Paul Nolan currently has his string in, and the Co Wexford team hit the headlines on day one of the Navan Racing Festival with a virtually flawless display from their flagbearing mare Feet Of A Dancer in the Grade 2 Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle.

It must bode extremely well for the remainder of the season that Cathy Byrne’s admirable seven-year-old was able to turn in this sort of performance, beating a solid yardstick in I’ll Sort That by eight lengths, after 247 days off the track.

Connections opted to take on Wodhooh in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham when third last spring, but there is every indication the mount of Sean O’Keeffe could be given her chance against the boys in the Cotswolds this time around. She was cut to 20/1 (from 50/1) for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle after dominating a contest in which main market rival The Yellow Clay pulled up and Slade Steel failed to really fire.

Assistant trainer James Nolan said: “Just like Sean told us, she’s an improver. She had a good year last season, won her Grade 2 at Doncaster and finished second and third to Wodhooh, but today was her best performance ever. We were tempted to take on the geldings last year at Leopardstown and Cheltenham before chickening out a little bit and keeping her to mares’ races. I’d say that’ll change now.

“She’ll probably go to Leopardstown for the same mares’ race she was second in last Christmas and then head to Doncaster, before maybe the Stayers’ Hurdle.

“It’s amazing how horses can cod you. She galloped at Monksgrange a couple of weeks ago and worked lazily. We even debated putting cheekpieces on her after that. Today she was too keen. She ran as sweet as a nut and jumped like a buck. Bar a fall at the last, she looked the winner everywhere.”

On the stable’s current run of form, including six winners from 30 runners in a 14-day period: “For our numbers, a 70 or 80 horse yard, we have a bunch of nice horses. We’re very lucky that way. We have some brilliant support from great owners, who back us to the hilt. When we want to buy something, they give it their best shot.

“The horses are in good form and people might say that to you, but to me at the moment, I think we’ve got a bunch of nice horses who are running in races they have chances in. You could go five or six weeks without a winner and have people questioning your form. For me, that can be as much to do with the standard of horse you’re running and maybe what they’re running into. We’ll take it when it’s happening. They’re running great and we’re delighted.”