DENISE Foster and Denis O’Regan teamed up to post a double at Down Royal on St Patrick’s Day last Wednesday.

The opening Bluegrasshorsefeed.com Maiden Hurdle may have had 20 runners, but was priced by the bookmakers as a match between 1/2 favourite Pont Du Gard and 9/4 Homme D’Un Soir.

O’Regan sent Homme D’Un Soir to the front approaching two out and the pair has too much ammunition for the favourite who couldn’t land a blow in second, beaten by three and a quarter lengths.

Stable representative Ian Amond said: “He did it well and he has plenty of experience at this stage as well. The (first-time) tongue-tie on obviously helped as well too. He’s got his head in front now and hopefully he will get a bit of confidence from it.”

The five-year-old gelding represented Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Cullentra double

Papal Lodge brought up the double in the Powered By Bluegrass Novice Handicap Hurdle but there was a dramatic conclusion to this contest when Baltimore Bucko fell at the final flight when disputing the lead.

Papal Lodge (9/2) stayed on to close out the spoils by two and a half lengths.

“He jumped well and travelled well. I would say he got confidence from his win in Punchestown and got away with the ground,” O’Regan, in the Justanidea Syndicate colours, said.

“Hard to know what would have happened at the last – it’s a possibility I could have got beaten but you have to jump them.”

Some Man buzzes home

DAVY Christie landed the Bluegrass Horse Feeds Hunters Chase for the fourth time in five years as Some Man powered away from his rivals.

The eight-year-old gelding skipped along on the drying ground and had the 11/8 favourite Complete Sizing in trouble after the second last.

Barry O’Neill had a virtual armchair ride over this extended two-mile–three-furlong trip as his mount came in by 12 lengths at 9/4.

This performance had Christie eyeing a crack at Aintree for the open hunter chase over the Grand National course as he said: “All the time we have had him we have never got him running on the ground he loves. He’s a very good horse but at anything from two miles to two-miles-six he is just different gravy to everything else.

“I’ll chat it over with Ray (Nicholas, owner) – I’d nearly love to have a go at Aintree this year with him. We have to consider it. It warrants him getting an entry. Barry got off him and said ‘I really enjoyed that – that has given me some buzz!’”

Taaffe first

Pat Taaffe enjoyed his first ride over fences as he partnered his father Tom’s Goose Man to victory in the Bluegrass Horse Feeds Steeplechase.

Even-money favourite Tout Est Permis fell six out and it was Goose Man and Dorking Cock who dominated proceedings racing to the penultimate fence.

Goose Man appeared to have got the better of Dorking Cock after that fence. However, the latter rallied effectively after the last and kept Goose Man honest all the way to the line.

Goose Man came in by a length and a quarter and, afterwards, Tom Taaffe said: “That’s very good for the Hays (owners). This fellow was in at Cheltenham yesterday but I said ‘he’ll be placed in Cheltenham but he’ll win here’.

“Goose Man’s not really in anything as it is too close to the Irish National.

“He’s not in at Aintree but he will be in Aintree next year, he’s that type of horse.”

Moore pleased

An absence of almost a year didn’t inconvenience Me Too Please who was a ready winner of the Bluegrass Horse Feeds (Mares) INH Flat Race.

Arthur Moore’s charge was a promising fourth at Thurles in March last year and built upon that when keeping on best to score by two and a quarter lengths at 11/2.

Moore said: “I would have been disappointed if she had been beaten. She has a gorgeous attitude, so it is nice to get that.

“She just didn’t get the run of the race (on her debut). Then the lockdown came and she just got a little setback earlier in the season.

“We will probably go for blacktype after this as I think she will be better suited by a fast pace.

“Noel (McParlan) said it was the slowest race he ever rode in around here, so he hit the front sooner than he wanted to. She was looking around a bit.”

NO Thanks was left clear at the last to come in a 13-length winner of the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle for owner Rory Doyle.

The 8/1 chance (from 12s) was in front jumping that obstacle but faced a challenge from 9/2 joint-favourite Wake The Giant who made a mistake and crashed out.

Jockey Dillon Maxwell said: “He enjoyed the ground. Matthew (Smith) was a bit iffy about the ground, but it is drying out well and hopefully the sun keeps like that.”

Cracking win

Samurai Cracker travelled strongly in the Bluegrass Horse Feeds Rated Novice Chase before forging on by six lengths after hitting the front two out.

Richie Deegan did the steering and said: “The drop back in trip and the ground suited. I was talking to John Barry before and he thought today would suit him.

“They (Caroline and Alan McCaldin owner/trainer) were sweet on him; he ran very well over three (miles) in Navan the last day. He stayed very well but they just thought on this ground two miles three might be perfect and they were spot on.”