GORDON Elliott’s horses remain in irresistible form and the Meath mastermind got two more winners on the board at Cork’s students’ day meeting with a first and last race double through Lieutenant Colonel in the featured UCC Horse Racing Society Hurdle and Black Tears in the mares’ bumper confined to lady riders.

The Davy Russell-ridden Lieutenant Colonel was up with the pace throughout and the 13/8 Gigginstown-owned winner shaded it from Karalee before four out. Knockraha Pylon was not out of it either in second at the penultimate flight, but Lieutenant Colonel was kept at full stretch to deny Karalee by one and a quarter lengths, despite drifting over to the far rail in the closing stages.

Elliott’s assistant Davy Condon said afterwards: “Gordon found a good opportunity for him and Davy’s riding out of his skin. The horse is a bit of a monkey, but he’s coming back to form and was entitled to win today on his run behind Jezki. Hopefully there’s another one or two races in him.”

Stable-companion Black Tears, who had filled the runner-up spot behind Humboldt in a Punchestown bumper on her debut, went one better in the mares’ bumper when justifying 8/15 favouritism in the hands of Lisa O’Neill.

Jointly owned by Caren Walsh and John Lightfoot from Clane, the Jeremy filly headed Barrington Court a furlong down and had two and three-quarter lengths in hand at the finish. The pair pulled nine lengths clear of the third, Court Maid.

Condon’s post-race comment was: “It did her no harm to get a lead into the straight because she’s still a bit green and Gordon said she’ll be going for the €100,000 bumper at Fairyhouse at Easter.

“Then she’ll go out on her summer holidays and she’ll be a good mare for hurdling next year. She’s still learning.”

EXPENSIVE

Susannah Ricci’s expensive purchase Antey finally got off the mark for the Willie Mullins stable in the two and a half mile UCC Goes Racing Maiden Hurdle when leading from start to finish to contain the renewed effort of Last Minute Man by a head.

The five-year-old’s jockey Paul Townend commented: “I thought he’d have won a maiden by now, but we had fitness and experience on our side today.

“He wants summer ground and would probably be better going the other way around.”

The trainer’s brother Tom Mullins was doubled-handed in a weak renewal of the CITSU Fillies Maiden Hurdle and was rewarded with an emphatic success for his wife Helen’s 4/1 chance Crystal Icon, the mount of their son David.

Touching down in front of the favourite Azua Emery at the second last, the Sixties Icon filly opened up from there to score by an unchallenged 17 lengths. Her trainer said: “She’s a grand filly and she’s strengthened up a lot since last year.

“She loves jumping and has taken very well to it. We sent the other one (Tildas Icon) on in front in case there was a muddling pace and maybe there’s a winners of one in Punchestown. She’ll definitely go back on the flat.”

HOT WINNER

Local handler T.J. Nagle’s decision to strike while the iron was hot with Tuesday’s Clonmel winner Danse Away reaped dividends when the six-year-old captured his second race in three days when getting first run on Time And Times in the CIT Cream of the Crop (QR) 80-102 Handicap Hurdle.

Cheek pieces have certainly transformed Ailish Glynn’s 5/4 favourite, who delivered by one and a half lengths under Barry O’Neill, and Nagle offered the reminder that the owner’s husband Finbar won the same race six years earlier with Bar The Rest.

He said: “He’ll turn out again in a couple of weeks when we find something for him.”

The CIT Raise And Give 80-95 Handicap Hurdle went the way of Eoin McCarthy’s good servant Pound A Stroke who made most for Kevin Brouder, regaining the advantage from I’m Serious at the last to bag the second race of his career by half a length.

The 6/4 favourite is owned by the three member Transatlantic Syndicate from Oughterard and, with his Co. Kerry trainer McCarthy on lead up duty, it was left to Brouder to comment: “He’s good, tough and honest and was pulling away in the closing stages.”

LOCAL WINNER

The locally-trained Shower Cross (7/2) became the second winner of the afternoon for the Kerry village of Athea when taking the three-mile UCC Don’t Step On The Crest Handicap Hurdle in the colours of Elizabeth Stack whose husband Maurice is the local auctioneer.

Doneraile-based John Joe Walsh, who has care of the one and a half-length scorer, remarked: “He stayed at it well. He jumps well and should be better when the ground dries out because he won his point-to-point on firm ground.”

Shower Cross was winning his second race for Ambrose McCurtin, who was subsequently hit with a two day whip ban for failing to give his mount time to respond. Walsh quipped: “He’d want a rest after that and we’ll maybe look at running him again in three weeks to a month’s time.”

Acting Stewards

P. McLernon, E. Irwin, O.Kearney, P. Coveney, H. Hynes.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

BARRINGTON COURT (Mrs J. Harrington) Found only the Punchestown runner-up Black Tears too good on her debut and looks to be an above average bumper filly who could be up to winning before too long.