DERMOT McLoughlin made his first winner of the new National Hunt season one to remember as Freewheelin Dylan’s love affair with Kilbeggan reached a new high in the Axa Farm Insurance Midlands National Handicap Chase.

Previously a dual winner at this track, the Sheila Mangan-owned Freewheelin Dylan added the track’s biggest prize of the year to his haul after a splendid front-running effort under Ricky Doyle who was securing the most valuable triumph of his career.

The eight-year-old was superb on his first outing since December’s Paddy Power Chase but initially it looked like his bold display had come up just short as Three Musketeers, one of five Gordon Elliott runners, flashed home on the inner and looked as though he had got up on the line.

The photo revealed otherwise with Freewheelin Dylan getting the verdict by a nose with another Elliott runner, Swingbridge, back in third.

Sadly the well-backed favourite Yanworth had to be put down after sustaining a broken pelvis early on.

Three Musketeers’ rider Davy Russell picked up a two-day careless riding ban.

“I’m delighted as this was the plan. Ricky said that his jumping kept him in it and he was actually making ground at a lot of his fences. Sheila, who owns him, is a girl in the yard so I’m thrilled for her,” remarked the trainer.

Earlier, the versatile Jerandme (3/1) made a winning start over fences in the two-and-a-half-mile beginners’ chase adding to previous victories in bumpers, on the flat and over hurdles. On only his third outing over obstacles, this six-year-old made the running for Sean Flanagan and recovered well from a couple of mistakes on the final circuit with a gritty effort that saw him get home a length and a quarter ahead of Aforementioned.

“He’s a nice horse on quick ground and he has been schooling well over fences – he never had any respect for hurdles. A lot will depend on the weather with him but he will get an entry in the amateur riders’ handicap at Galway,” stated the trainer who trains the gelding for the Harbrio Partnership.

FOR the first time since he won the 2017 running of the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, Gordon Elliott’s Mengli Khan made his mark over hurdles in the two-and-a-half-mile conditions event. In the absence of Supasundae, the talented if not entirely predictable Mengli Khan was found a good opportunity on his first run since March.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned and Luke Dempsey-ridden 6/4 favourite had to work for this victory but he knuckled down in the closing stages hold off Jamie Sommers by a length.

“It’s good to see him winning again and that will hopefully do his confidence plenty of good. Another one of these races would be great to find, he’ll have a few entries at Galway as well,” reported the trainer.

As expected, the bumper also went to Elliott but it was the 20/1 shot Talk Of The Town who prevailed at the expense of his odds-on stablemate Geraldo. A first winner for jockey Hugh McOwan (19), this five-year-old made good progress inside the final half mile and swept by his stablemate with over a furlong to run to score by three and a quarter lengths.

“It’s great for Hugh to get a winner. I think they will both improve from this and the winner is a fine horse who has just been going through the motions at home so the racecourse looks to have woken him up,” stated Elliott.

Elliott also went close to landing the second division of the two-and-a-half mile-maiden hurdle where his Santana Plessis made a bold bid from the front. However, he came up short after J.J. Slevin delivered Joseph O’Brien’s Arthurian Fame with a perfectly timed effort to take charge after the last.

The winner carries the colours of the hugely enthusiastic Blackrock Racing Syndicate and was a worthy 11/10 favourite as he returned to hurdling off a fine fourth to Rayourpour in a premier handicap at Cork the previous Sunday. Galway could be on the agenda for the five-year-old.

Rare blank rectified by McGuinness; My Midnight enjoys well-deserved success at last

LAST season was only the third time in the last 15 years that Adrian McGuinness drew a blank with his jumpers – albeit he only ran four horse over obstacles last term – but he got off the mark for the new campaign with Politicise (3/1) in the first division of the two-and-a half-mile maiden hurdle.

The Dooley & Shamrock Thoroughbreds-owned four-year-old pounced before the final flight for Darragh O’Keeffe and went on to defeat the favourite Dakota Beat by five lengths. He could be in action on the flat and over hurdles at the upcoming Galway Festival.

At long last a well-deserved first career success arrived for Andy Slattery’s My Midnight (6/4) in the mares’ maiden hurdle over just short of two and a half miles.

The Eithne Thompson-owned six-year-old, who had finished no worse than fourth in her previous nine completed outings, pressed on for home under Cathal Landers some way out and already looked to have victory in the bag when Robin Des Sivola exited at the final flight to leave her well clear. The 112-rated mare crossed the line with 13 lengths to spare.

Mindsmadeup overcame a 194-day absence from the track to capture the three-mile handicap hurdle for Matthew Smith and Keith Donoghue. He was big as 20/1 earlier in the day but was returned a strongly supported 11/2 chance and got to the front before the final flight. He put in a less than fluent jump at the last but still got home by two and a half lengths from Kilkishen.

“Possibly he’ll go back chasing for the Galway Blazers Handicap Chase at Galway in a couple of weeks,” reported Smith, who trains the gelding for Shay Gillen and the Midlands Partnership.