THE Cormac Doyle-trained Eclair Surf was the star of Sunday’s Bandon meeting, run by the Carbery Foxhounds at Kilpatrick, hardly breaking sweat to record an authoritative front-running success in the truly-run five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The incessant rainfall turned ground conditions quite testing as Eclair Surf (5/1) was bounced out in front by talented 5lb claimer Jack Hendrick and he took his eight rivals along at a searching pace with Mighty Altogether being his closest pursuer from after a mile.

The duo drew clear of the remainder of the field from the fourth last of the 14 obstacles. Mighty Altogether wasn’t able to raise his effort from two out as the winning son of Califet bounded clear on the lengthy descent to the final fence.

At the post, the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership-owned bay had a distance to spare over Happy Larry. “He’s an airplane,” said handler Doyle of Eclair Surf, his fourth individual winner of the season. He was bought for €44,000 at the 2017 Goffs Land Rover Sale.

“He wasn’t right when he finished third at Lisronagh in November as he scoped wrong afterwards and he will hopefully now go to the Cheltenham Festival Sale.”

MANGAN DOUBLE

Jimmy Mangan has his string in fine order at present and the Conna-based operator departed with a double that was completed by the five-year-old mare Monty’s Mission (5/4 joint-favourite) in the closing winners of one. A wide-margin maiden scorer at the Tallow meeting on Mangan’s lands last month, she shadowed Mikey Kennedy’s New Earth virtually throughout and that pair drew clear from three out.

New Earth still held a fractional advantage on the lengthy descent to the last, but Monty’s Mission picked up the running with Johnny Hurley just before this final fence. She appeared to be travelling marginally stronger in the lead than New Earth when the latter fell here and, although drifting left-handed in the closing stages, she then held on to beat the patiently ridden Troll D’Oudairies by a length.

Mangan indicated that Monty’s Mission, a close relation to his former Grand National winner Monty’s Pass who he tends to for Hanford’s Chemist Limited, will now be prepared for a tilt at the coveted Gain Mares’ Final at Ballynoe later this month.

Mangan was earlier on the mark with Bandon Bridge representing the aforementioned New Earth’s owner Karen O’Driscoll, in the novice riders’ open.

Bandon Bridge (9/4), a commendable third behind Oscar Contender at Tallow on February 10th, was engaged in a ding-dong tussle with longtime leader Cloudy Morning from three out. There was then very little to separate the pair until the winning son of Presenting secured the faster jump at the final fence and he then asserted on the flat to eclipse Cloudy Morning by a length, with the duo returning a distance clear of the third-placed Western Man.

Bandon Bridge is now likely to be targeted at another open.

Michael O’Sullivan was actually riding a first winner for handler Mangan on Bandon Bridge and the Lombardstown teenager then went on to record a double aboard the Robert Tyner-trained Dandy Times in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Just a four-runner contest, this race still provided more than its fair share of drama as the patiently-ridden Larcadio eased clear on the run to the final fence and Terence O’Brien’s representative held a commanding eight-length advantage when cruelly coming to grief here.

Runner-up Mr West Coast was then left in front, but he was none too clever at the last as Dandy Times (2/1), who himself lost some momentum when running wide after the second last, came through to score by two lengths. Tyner indicated that the Gavin Cronin-owned Dandy Times will now be targeted at a winners’ race.

BOOKMAKERS

Seangoell justified the trek from handler Norman Lee’s Gort base by coming home as she pleased in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, much to the dismay of the six bookmakers present. Former track performer Seangoell (4/5 favourite) went one better than she did on her points debut behind Cool Dove at Cragmore last month by forging to the front with Chris O’Donovan after four out and she coasted clear on the run to the final fence.

With her closest pursuer Slipping Away then failing to negotiate the last, the winning daughter of Gold Well ultimately beat the only other finisher, On We Go, by a distance. Lee disclosed that Seangoell, a Gold Well-sired daughter of 2005 Gain Mares’ Final heroine Christdalo who represents John Devitt from Ennis, will now more than likely receive a break.

FIRST SUCCESS

Padraig Butler, a 27-year-old from Timoleague, was understandably smiling on being credited with his initial success as a handler, courtesy of the Darragh Allen-ridden mare Delight Of Dubai in the five-year-old and upwards’ adjacent hunts’ maiden.

Delight Of Dubai (5/4 favourite), who provided more than ample indication of ability by chasing home Monty’s Mission on her most recent foray at Tallow, recorded a virtual post-to-post success.

The five-year-old gave a polished exhibition of fencing and drew clear of the pursuing Eoulalyo on the run to the final fence to oblige by six lengths.

Butler, who works at the Novartis pharmaceutical plant in Ringaskiddy, shares Delight Of Dubai with his elder brother J.J.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

MIGHTY ALTOGETHER (J. Halley): He was on his fifth career start in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, having finished a creditable fourth at Boulta in January. He paid the penalty for trying to keep tabs with Eclair Surf, weakening between the final two fences to be beaten into third spot. He ran better than this would indicate.

O’Driscoll family triumph

THE O’Driscoll family have long since been synonymous with this Bandon meeting and Mrs Kathleen O’Driscoll’s 2006 Cheltenham Foxhunter hero Whyso Mayo won no less than five times at this fixture over the years. It was entirely appropriate that Mrs O’Driscoll’s niece-in-law Karen O’Driscoll featured amongst the winners on Sunday as her homebred Bandon Bridge won the novice riders’ open with Michael O’Sullivan in the plate.

Butler happy

PADRAIG Butler was a happy man with his first success as a handler when the mare Delight Of Dubai won.

Butler reported: “This is my first racehorse and my brother J.J., who is a year older than me, owns her with me. We bought her at the 2017 Fairyhouse August Sale and I would like to say thanks to my cousin James Dullea as we gallop her with his horses.”