ANDY Oliver could have a nice three-year-old on his hands in The Highway Rat who overcame distinct signs of greenness to make a winning debut in the seven-furlong maiden with something to spare.

Some nine years after his dam, the Oliver-trained Suzette De Bavay, made a winning start to her career in a Naas maiden, this Dandy Man colt attracted some decent support just before the off as he was backed from 22/1 into 14/1. That confidence was spot on as Gary Carroll produced The Highway Rat to move into the front rank with well over a furlong to run.

The winner looked quite raw when he took over the lead but he sustained his effort in good style to get home by a length and a quarter from fellow newcomer Cisne with the favourite Visualisation back in third.

“We liked him at home and felt he was up to winning a maiden and he’s delivered,” said Oliver who trains the winner for his wife, Saffron. “He had a good draw and got a great ride from Gary and it looked comfortable enough for him. He did have a gallop here before and that does help as it acquaints them with the surface here.”

Brave Heel

Gary Carroll promptly added to his tally when he produced the Mick Mulvany-trained Red Heel to land the first division of the 45-65 rated mile handicap. This Aidan Archdeacon-owned daughter of Dylan Thomas showed enough in half a dozen outings last year to suggest that a race like this could come her way and she turned in a brave effort from the front. The 15/2 chance needed the line late on but she held on by a head from the oncoming Masalai.

A fine winter season for trainer John Larkin continued as Emphatic took the other split of the mile handicap. The trainer’s third winner from just seven runners here since the start of November, Emphatic steadily closed in on the gallant pace-setter Buachaill Or over the last furlong and a half and he responded to Ross Coakley to nail that rival late on. The victorious 6/1 chance is owned by the trainer’s stalwart patron Breen White.

Hayes again

CHRIS Hayes followed up his double on Friday by landing the opening two races on this card and his brace began aboard the brave Stay With Me took the first division of the mile-and-a-half 45-65 rated handicap.

The sparingly campaigned seven-year-old, who was appearing for just the 12th time on the track and was making up a narrow defeat here two months ago, set off in front and turned back one rival after another in the straight to defeat Wave Walker by three-quarters of a length. The 3/1 favourite is trained by Darren Bunyan for his brother, Brian.

“She’s a very genuine mare and gives you everything every time she runs,” commented Bunyan. “She’s schooled well over hurdles and will mix it between the flat and jumping now. I must say the new gallop at Maddenstown has been a great help to us on the Curragh and you’d really see it in the horses now.”

Confidence

Hayes then followed up on Pat Murphy’s Pempie (13/2) who shrugged off top weight in the second division of that 45-65 rated handicap. A 10,000gns purchase just under a year ago, this Lope De Vega mare had shaped quite well on three of her five runs for Murphy and she returned from a month off.

The Newbridge Or Nowhere Syndicate-owned five-year-old led over a furlong out and saw off the unexposed 5/1 joint favourite Empire Street by a length and a quarter.

“She had a wind operation after running at Cork in August.

“We were just trying to her comfortable and get her confidence back and she’s got that again now,” commented Murphy.

AFTER starting the day with a pair of second-place finishers, John McConnell got amongst the winners when Falak (5/1) and Colin Keane picked up the 45-65 rated handicap over two miles.

The Rockview Racing Syndicate-owned gelding was ideally placed in second in a steadily run affair before taking over in front early in the straight and he won nicely from Danehill Quest. A winner of the first claiming hurdle to be run in Ireland for 23 years after which he was picked up by McConnell for €7,000, Falak had dropped 21lb in the weights over the last year and a half.

The other handicap over two miles provided Gavin Ryan and Adrian McGuinness with their second winner together in as many meetings at this track as Winston Wolfe (3/1) added to the maiden success he recorded here just under three years ago.

The G and T Partnership-owned winner relished every of this trip and he stuck to his doggedly to overhaul the market leader Belgoprince late on and carry the day by half a length.

Deserving Woodrow

A deserved success came the way of Cormac Farrell’s Woodrow in the Hollywoodbets-sponsored maiden over six furlongs. This four-year-old had shown up quite well in his five previous outings at this track and was looking to build on a series of placed runs in handicaps.

The Rory Cleary-ridden 11/8 favourite, who carries the colours of the Swipe Right Syndicate, was in complete control when the trail blazing Glow Worm gave best with over a furlong to run and he went on to score by four and three-quarter lengths.

“He’s a lovely horse. It’s taken a while for the penny to drop with him but now he’s won I hope he might go up through the grades,” stated Farrell, whose charge was likely to turn out again here last night.