THE East Down Foxhounds meeting at Tyrella on Saturday kicked off the northern spring fixtures attracting the largest entry of any meeting run so far in 2018. Based in Athy, Co Kildare, handler Maurice Phelan made his journey north a successful one as The Dabbler (2/1 – 4/1) made a successful debut under Jamie Codd in the CBRE five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Broadway Star under Mark O’Hare took up the running at the second-last as The Dabbler stalked the leader, travelling smoothly around the bend into the straight. A loose horse briefly hampered his efforts before the last but the son of Presenting asserted on the run in to win easily by six lengths.

Owned and bred by Dublin businessman Michael Heery, The Dabbler is out of 12-time winner Lirfox. A half-sister to graded winners Aupcharlie and La Grande Dame, Lirfox was trained to success three times by Martin Pipe and was also placed in a grade two novices hurdle at the Aintree festival.

Winning handler Phelan commented: “he did that well. He jumped great and really travelled well throughout the race. He’s a very nice horse and we have always thought he would be good. We were hoping to run him in Tattersall’s before Christmas but that was cancelled but thankfully it worked out today. He might head to the sales now.”

SALES RING

Another winner likely to head to the sales-ring is the Stuart Crawford-trained Millarville (4/1 – 5/1), who made a winning debut in the opening Albert Bartlett five-year-old mares’ maiden. Purchased by the Crawford brothers for €5,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale in 2016, the daughter of Court Cave made most of the running under Ben Crawford and looked set for a duel with the Jerry Cosgrave-trained Rosesn’raspberries on the run to the final fence.

Mark O’Hare partnered the newcomer Rosesn’raspberries, who got her head in front at the last was headed on the run-in when jinking to the right towards the parade ring and unseating O’Hare, leaving the Crawford’s Millarville to come home eight lengths clear of Jumbo Davies.

From the same pedigree as Grade 1 winners Fiddling The Facts and For Non Stop, the five-year-old mare is a half-sister to multiple winners Mendip Express and Sheer Genius. “She’s a lovely wee mare and really enjoyed her job. She loves jumping and made up ground at each fence. She battled back to lead and then at the line I was clear – I wasn’t sure what happened. She will probably head to the sales now,” remarked winning rider Ben Crawford.

Thunderosa (5/4 – 4/5 fav) was still in contention when falling at Ballinaboola in November for Andrew Latta and gained compensation when holding off all challengers in the concluding JP Corry six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Acquired by Fidelma Toole, whose colours were carried to victory three times last year by Captain CJ, following his debut effort, the Westerner gelding is now in the care of Ratoath handler Dermot McLoughlin. “We bought him before Christmas and he looks a nice horse. He seemed to have plenty more to give if needed and he’s tough. I will speak with Fidelma (Toole) to see where we will go next,” said McLoughlin.

A half-brother to Milans Man and Tilinisi, the six-year-old was well supported in the market and Lar O’Carroll sent the favourite to the front before halfway and he battled gamely score by a length from Commanding Spirit who had to settle for second place for the third consecutive time.

The smallest field of the day went to post in the PKF FPM Accountants Open as Eddies Miracle (1/1 – 5/4 favourite) returned to winning ways for bookmaker Ray Nicholas, following a fall in the Cork hunter chase in November. The Barry O’Neill-partnered 10-year-old was tight of room when challenging leader Quiet Account at the last, but the Beat of Drums gelding quickened well in the closing stages to post a two-length success.

THREE-IN-A-ROW

The Sean McParlan-trained Lagan Island (4/6 – 4/7 favourite) added to his winning sequence under the trainer’s son Noel in the Millar McCall Wylie Solicitors Winner of Two. The Pat McCartan-owned gelding entered many notebooks, when an impressive winner at Moira in December and confirmed that promise as he accounted for recent Mainstown maiden winner Le Braye by two and a half lengths.

“That’s three wins in a row now and he seemed to do that well. He’s doing everything we ask him and is still improving. He could go for a hunter chase next,” said the winning handler.

The Ann Hunter-trained City Break (5/1 – 10/1) caused an upset in the Alpha Concrete six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, providing the Templepatrick-based handler with her second career success. The Getaway mare stayed on stoutly on the run in to take over from Drumconnor Girl on the line, recording a head victory in a photo-finish.

Purchased by current connections for €2,000 at the Tattersalls August NH Sale in 2015, City Break is a half-sister to four-time track winner Shanroe Santos, who also scored in a Loughanmore point-to-point for James Lambe. The success was the tonic trainer Hunter needed as she had been suffering from a bad flu since Christmas. She indicated her winner is likely to run in mares’ winners company if not sold beforehand.

Multiple winner

DERRYLIN-based trainer David Christie was delighted to see his multiple winner Eddies Miracle return to the winner’s enclosure at Tyrella on Saturday.

Christie remarked: “he took a very nasty fall in the hunter chase at Cork in November and is lucky to be back so soon.

“He jumped big at some fences but hopefully he will get his confidence back now.He was run tight for room at the last but picked up well on the run in to win easily.”

Running in the colours of Ray Nicholas, Christie indicated that he will continue in points or go for a hunter chase on better ground.