RACING on the outer loop at Ballinrobe was shown in all its finery on Sunday for the staging of a first graded event at the Co Mayo venue.

The Grade B McHale Mayo National Handicap Chase was sponsored by the local farm machinery firm, as was the entire card.

After Imperial Choice pulled up earlier, and Thosedaysaregone ran disappointingly in the previous race, a trying afternoon came to an excellent conclusion for Charles Byrnes in the feature, with his Doctor Duffy (6/1) taking out the big prize.

This was some way to begin life in handicap chase company for the Relic Pride Partnership-owned and Kevin Brouder-ridden Doctor Duffy.

Coming off a Kilbeggan beginners’ win, and with a visor on again for the second time, the Craigsteel gelding came through from mid-division to lead at the ninth.

The seven-year-old made the rest and battled off Chavi Artist on the run-in by three and a quarter lengths.

Chavi Artist traded short enough in the in-running betting market. So too did the third and fourth home, Ask Nile and Go Another One, ultimately though there was no matching the staying power of the winner.

“It’s a great pot to win and he could go for the Kerry National now. The entries are closing during the week,” said Byrnes. “He wasn’t really travelling for him in behind. He (Brouder) kicked him on then and he kept going.

“The visor seems to have been a help, though it didn’t look to be working when he was in behind there.”

Kevin Brouder rightly got plenty of praise for his ride on Doctor Duffy and the other two chases on the programme also saw the winning riders excel.

Mengli Khan back in winning groove

RACHAEL Blackmore aboard Mengli Khan (3/1) for the first time, got the Grade 1-winning novice hurdler back humming, in the McHale C4 Straw Blower & Silage Feeder Chase.

There was a sting in the tail for Blackmore as she got a one-day ban for using her whip unnecessarily when the race was clearly won.

That shouldn’t detract from the terrific ride Blackmore gave the Gigginstown House Stud-owned and Gordon Elliott-trained sales-bound Lope De Vega gelding. She got some marvellous leaps from Mengli Khan on the way round. Those pursuing the front-runner never got a moment’s peace and the favourite Livelovelaugh chased home at a distance of 26 lengths in second.

Typically the winning rider was deflecting praise elsewhere: “He was very good. It was Eddie’s (O’Leary) instructions to ride him like that. He was spot on and it worked.”

Kiely’s win

In the silks of the Lillingston family, Denis O’Regan got Line Out (9/4) up in the closing stages to win the McHale Tiger Roll Beginners Chase by half a length.

Runner-up Dromore Lad ran very well on his initial outing for the John Ryan yard, particularly considering this was his chase debut and his first outing for 197 days.

O’Regan was determined to keep John Kiely’s charge in a prominent position on the inner through this near three-miler. This approach, and in the words of the jockey, “the little bit better ground,” saw the 126-rated performer off the mark at the seventh attempt in this sphere.

Power gets a good Tune out of smart The Chello

“I BROKE the cuboid bone in my foot three weeks ago and that’s my first ride back,” explained Robbie Power after winning the McHale Mayo Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle on Robcour’s Tune The Chello (11/2).

The break occurred in a fall from Dandjira at Tramore on August 14th and there was no ring-rust in evidence from Power as he guided Henry de Bromhead’s five-year-old to a convincing four and a half-length success over Rescue Package.

“It was a very competitive race and she won well. She probably handled the soft ground better than a lot of the others. We’ll see what the handicapper does and she’ll jump a fence as well,” further reflected Power.

Mullins finds gold

Danny Mullins had to settle for the runner-up berth on Rescue Package. An afternoon that would ultimately throw up two silver medals for the Kilkenny rider began with ‘a gold,’ on Fairyhill Run (4/1 into 5/2) in McHale Fusion 3 Range Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Winning at the second time of asking over flights, the Thomas Meagher owned and bred five-year-old was always to the fore.

The much more experienced Saol Iontach was the one to give Fairyhill Run most to do. Four lengths separated them at the line.

“She’s a nice mare and a winter type,” remarked successful handler John Ryan.

“I had a very good mare in Mystery Stowaway that I lost recently and this one has the potential to be another.

“She’s out of a Flemensfirth mare and has it on the breeding side too.”

Another owner-bred victor was Ciankyle (20/1) in the McHale Pro Glide Mower Range Handicap Hurdle.

Dublin trainer Peter Cluskey described Hugh Calvey’s nine-year-old as “a good old servant”, after Mark Bolger’s mount had held Sargent Lightfoot by half a length. The pair were 12 lengths clear of pace-setter Trees Valley in third.

Sargent Lightfoot didn’t enjoy the clearest of passages from two out. He shouldn’t be long about securing a breakthrough win.

In the case of Ciankyle he now has five victories to his name, and Bolger has been aboard for all of these, stretching back to August 2015.

Warreedy on fire

Owned by his mother Anne, Brian McMahon’s Warreedy (11/4 favourite) set the ball rolling on what turned out to be a brilliant couple of days, in the McHale Orbital Round Bale Wrapper Handicap Hurdle.

Derek O’Connor gave Warreedy a lovely patient steer, asking the 11-year-old to only do the minimum to score by five lengths from Mickey Shea.

Warreedy went on to double up under Eoin Mahon at Galway the following day.