ROBBIE Power has his eye on a big prize for Sandymount Duke after the eight-year-old gelding landed thetote.com Galway Plate Trial Handicap Chase in Down Royal.

Jessica Harrington’s progressive chaser made it four wins over fences when rallying to good effect on the run-in to get up by a head.

Power, in musician Ronnie Wood’s colours, said of the 7/4 favourite: “He’s always been tough but I was going as hard as I could. I would have loved to have had something to push me along a bit faster. I knew a good jump at the last and I would get back past Devils Bride.”

When asked if the Galway Plate would suit him, he replied: “Well, I think the English National could suit him. He’ll be better going left-handed, he jumps like a buck.”

Meadow Cross was suspended from racing for 42 days when the stewards found that her jockey, Shane Mulcahy, was in breach of Rule 212 A(ii) – for not being seen to have made sufficient effort to achieve the best possible placing – after the pair finished fourth in the Daily Mirror Mares Beginners Chase. Mulcahy received a five-day ban and was ordered to forfeit his riding fee.

Colla Pier won the race itself for trainer David Dunne, who had his brother Robbie in the saddle. The 6/1 chance saw out the two and a half-mile trip well to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Walter Dunne represented his sons and said: “That was brilliant. Fair play to David, he said to me coming up that she would run well. The ground made the difference to her. She deserved that over fences. Robbie said she was running away everywhere (today).”

Colin McBratney enjoyed a local success when Triolet stormed away with the Sean Graham Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.

The six-year-old gelding travelled powerfully into contention after the third last and hit the front approaching the penultimate flight. He stayed on strongly for Noel McParlan and scored by four and a half lengths at 7/1.

McBratney said: “The last two times he has been beaten it has been pure speed that beat him. Noel gave him a fantastic ride to switch to the inner and go for a gap down the inside. He had the horse to go and do it.

“There’s a nice handicap hurdle in Perth on July 16th worth a few quid. It’s a 0-115 so they may not even let him into it. He’ll jump a fence in time.

“The Monkey Formula Syndicate are all from Belfast and are great lads. It’s their first venture into a horse. Simon Maxwell heads it up and he knows form, he reads form inside out. He’s always right!”

Colin Kidd mapped out a trip to Ballybrit after his talented Rashaan justified 8/13 favouritism in the Mount Charles Hurdle.

Sean Flanagan’s mount had too much in his locker for Marinero as he put him away on the run-in by two and a half lengths.

“He’s tough and he only does what he has to do. I was a bit nervous now saddling an odds-on chance. The plan I would imagine now is to either run in the Grade 3 hurdle in Tipperary in two weeks or there is another two and a half-mile conditions hurdle in Cork in three weeks for ones that haven’t won more than two since last May so he would be well in in that as well. The immediate plan after that is to go for the GPT in Galway,” Kidd said of the five-year-old gelding, part-owned by his mother Amy.

When asked about the Galway Hurdle, he replied: “I think he is too high in the handicap over hurdles. He is better handicapped on the flat, he is only rated 86 on the flat. He is only 2lbs higher now than what he was when he was fifth in the Cesarewitch last autumn so I think the amateur handicap is the race to go for in Galway.”

JUMPED GREAT

Owner/trainer John Nicholson’s trip up from Co Kilkenny paid off with Ask Susan (7/2) in the www.thetote.com Mares Hurdle. The daughter of Ask kept on best under pressure from Is She Diesel to win by three-quarters of a length, with Mark Enright in the plate.

Nicholson said: “She needed the break, the last day the ground was terrible.

“She jumped great, she would rather have those hurdles. They are cracking hurdles. If she stays winning hurdle races we will keep her at that, then go chasing.”

A mistake at the last by Knockmaole Boy in the French Village Maiden Hurdle opened the door for the favourite, Mountain Rock. However, Knockmaole Boy (9/2) stuck to his task under Davy Russell and took the spoils by three-quarters of a length for the Twenty Times Two Syndicate.

Gordon Elliott’s assistant trainer, Ian Amond, said: “We thought he might have even won one before today. He was a bit unlucky. We’ll probably keep him going for the summer.”

Peter Fahey’s Laoch Liam began her career with success in the Mencap Flat Race. The five-year-old mare stayed on strongly to outgun Tadhgs Girl by three and three-quarter lengths as the pair had the race to themselves.

Jockey Katie Walsh was impressed by the 12/1 shot and said: “She’s very well-bred. I’d say she was quite green. She ran around a bit when she got there so there’s plenty of improvement to come from her.

“The two of them pulled clear and the second horse had all the allowances being a four-year-old and Lisa (O’Neill) claiming 5lb. It was a good weight difference all the same so it was a very impressive performance.”

ACTING STEWARDS

R. S. Martin, L. McFerran, Rev C.L. Hall-Thompson, F.G. Fitzsimmons, M.F. O’Donoghue

HORSE TO FOLLOW

AT RAINBOW’S END (P. Nolan) She travelled nicely and kept on well for second. Finished clear of the third home.