WESTERNER Lady’s quiet yet unrelenting progress through the ranks continued apace as she battled hard to land the €80,000 Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle, which came to Willie Mullins for the third time in the last four years.

A successful comeback at Killarney saw the Anthony Butler-owned mare hit with an 11lb rise in the ratings and this race represented a definite step up grade but she improved yet again with a commendably brave display. Now a winner of five of her last six outings, this particularly assured jumper was sent off the 3/1 favourite for this two and three-quarter miles contest and she was prominently placed throughout.

Ruby Walsh let her stride on to lead before the second last, but from the turn in Westerner Lady had to fight hard. On the outer, the English challenger Totalize launched a strong challenge and, after the last, Supreme Vinne came right in to it. A minor role looked as if it could beckon at this point but Westerner Lady fought on splendidly to get back on top and carry the day by half a length. Supreme Vinnie took second with Totalize a neck back in third.

“She was very brave there and she does stay very well, going further wouldn’t be a problem for her,” said Mullins. “She was giving a stone and 5lb to the second and to be knocked over and come back and win was very brave of her. There isn’t that much coming up for her over hurdles so I’d say we will go novice chasing with her now. She likes nice ground and I’m not sure she would be one for real winter ground.”

IMPOSING

Aidan O’Brien’s first two-year-old winner of the meeting, Capri, is a colt that could make his mark at a much higher grade in the coming months. The imposing grey came into the Ladbrokes EBF Maiden off a most promising debut second at the Curragh on Oaks weekend and that effort ensured that he went off the 2/7 favourite.

Supporters of Seamie Heffernan’s mount never had a moment’s worry as he made the running from Rekindling and then shrugged off that rival early in the straight for a smooth two and a half lengths triumph.

“He’d a lovely run the first day when he was very green,” stated Joseph O’Brien. “He’s won over a mile today but could come back to seven and he’ll go into stakes races next. He could be a very nice horse and Dad did have the National Stakes in the back of his head for him. He could be a horse for a Beresford Stakes too.”

Remarkably, Dermot Weld was bridging a gap of some 13 years in the An Pucan EBF Nursery Handicap as Firey Speech (11/4) produced a nice effort under top weight. The Naas maiden winner enjoyed the step up to seven furlongs and turned in a thoroughly professional display under Pat Smullen. After sitting on the pace the Moyglare Stud-owned son of Street Cry asserted in good style heading into the furlong for a two-length victory over the staying-on Sir Edwin Landseer.

“He’s improved from Naas and that was a good effort in a competitive nursery,” reflected Smullen. “We went hard enough and for him to sit on the pace and pick up well off it and go to the line well carrying top weight was a good effort. I think there’s more to come from him.”

HOGAN DOUBLE

It was a red letter day for trainer Denis Hogan as he reeled off a double, which he achieved with horses belonging to his family and his longest standing patrons. Firstly, the Hogan-ridden Jack The Wire (8/1) fulfilled the promise that carried him to a successful racecourse debut 14 months previously in the Ladbrokes Mobile Maiden Hurdle. The Scorpion gelding, who is owned by the trainer’s father Martin, didn’t produce his best over two and a half miles at Tipperary last month and relished the shorter trip of this assignment. Jack The Wire already looked to be in command coming away from two out and he contained Black Ace by a comfortable three and a quarter lengths.

“He’s a chaser and anything he does over fences is a bonus really. I thought he didn’t see out the trip last time so I had it in my head that a strong two miles would suit him,” commented Hogan.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet and some day I think there is a good handicap in him. I’m thrilled he’s won for my mother and father as they provided me with the place to train and without them I wouldn’t be here.”

Hogan then turned his attentions to the flat with Tithonus, who secured the seven-furlong Ladbrokes Red Day Handicap. A dual winner at Dundalk during the winter, the five-year-old only had his first start of the year 10 days previously and he was clearly all the better for that return.

The 12/1 chance had to contend with a wide draw, but Gary Halpin did especially well to have him showing in front from early on. Tithonus kept on tenaciously in the closing stages when Cairdiuil arrived with his bid and, hard as he tried, the latter had to settle for his second runner-up finish of the week.

“I’m thrilled for the owners (Tony and Michael O’Brien). They were the first owners that I had in the yard and they’ve been so loyal all along,” commented Hogan. “It’s brilliant for them and great to be able to repay them here. This horse is a funny sort, he’s been placed in a couple of maiden hurdles yet on the flat he looks as though he doesn’t get a mile.”

As well as landing the day’s feature, Willie Mullins unveiled a quality sort in Queen Deirdre (8/11) in the Terry Cunningham Memorial EBF Mares Flat Race. This daughter of King’s Theatre, whose siblings include Identity Thief, looks destined for much greater heights on this evidence.

She travelled powerfully for Patrick Mullins and, when asked to quicken up on the approach to the straight, she surged clear and had 12 lengths to spare by the time she hit the line. Interestingly, this Eleanor Manning-owned mare was having her first start in the race that successfully launched the career of Annie Power in 2012.

“That was very good. She’s shown me gears at home but I didn’t think she was strong enough yet to do that,” observed the champion trainer. “She can only improve from this and she’ll head for a winner’s bumper, although there is part of me that wonders if I should give her some time.”

A week than contained its share of shock winners served up another one with Striking Gold in the Ladbrokes-sponsored 50-80 rated handicap over a mile and a half. An abject display at Down Royal eight days previously, when he finished last in a three-year-old handicap, meant that Jessica Harrington’s charge was sent off at 40/1. However, he belied those odds under a forceful Colm O’Donoghue, who got the Stimulation gelding to the front rounding the last bend. Striking Gold held off fellow outsider Captain Carleton by a length.

“I was hoping for a good run as he was working well at home. He’d a good run in a Leopardstown maiden last month but just didn’t want to know at Down Royal and Colm really had to get after him when the stalls opened,” reported the trainer. “He’s had a light summer and will go for something similar now. He should make a lovely jumper as he has plenty of size and scope.”