FRANK Berry’s sister Carmel Fay was remembered in the Carmel Fay Memorial Novice Chase at Kilbeggan on Monday and appropriately J.P. McManus’ racing manager collected the prize following the win of the owner’s Plinth.

Ravenhill started the 2/5 favourite for the race but it was the Grade 3-winning hurdler Plinth who proved too strong on his second chase start and in the end swept past that rival before the final fence and scored a six-length win.

McManus’ other runners in the five-horse race, Triumph Hurdle winner Ivanovich Gorbatov and Galway Hurdle winner Tigris River filled second last and last places respectively.

Berry was thrilled with the result. “Carmel (Fay) died six years ago so it was lovely to win this race. We won it two years ago as well and the boss man will be delighted,” he said.

“He (Plinth) struggles in the handicaps but has been lucky in the conditions’ hurdles and it was lovely to come here and win. He’ll tip away at these small tracks and maybe he’ll end up at Galway but at a level.’’

Plinth’s trainer Joseph O’Brien, jockey Niall Madden and indeed McManus all combined to win the opening unplaced horses’ maiden hurdle with Miami Beach 10/1), a son of Invincible Spirit, who proved five and a half lengths too strong for Tomeric.

Doctor Duffy needs no instructions

“FOR the record I gave the jockey no instructions!” declared Charles Byrnes cheekily following the win of his Doctor Duffy (11/10) in the Kilbegganraces On Snapchat Novice Hurdle.

Byrnes’ horses have been some of the runners caught in the middle of a brewing Anglo-Irish ‘spat’ in recent weeks as the trainer/his representative have been quizzed on riding instructions pre-race, when contesting races in Britain.

Doctor Duffy’s jockey Philip Enright elected to chase leader Dona Katarina for much of the contest and, while it took a while for the son of Craigsteel to find his top gear, he eventually got the better of runner-up Jerandme on the run-in when scoring a one-length win.

Byrnes commented: “It was a messy race and we think he is a fair horse. His bumper form is quite good. I think two miles, four furlongs is his trip and in that race they hacked for half of it.

“He ballooned an early flight but is going the right way and he’ll run in a novice hurdle over his trip next.”

Maxwell’s success

The Andy McNamara trained Classic Concorde (10/1) was the 16-length winner of the Greville Arms Hotel Mullingar Handicap Hurdle as the son of Shantou gained a deserved first success, under jockey Dillon Maxwell.

Bought for £12,000 last August, the six-year-old today recouped half that sum when comfortably beating runner-up Courtin Bb to score in the colours of the Co Limerick based Saffron & Green Syndicate, whose Rathmore Castle was a smart Grade 3-winning novice hurdle for trainer Maureen Danagher in 2007.

The €25,000 Midlands National Day July 19th Handicap Hurdle was won by 20/1 chance Ming Dynasty for Champion Hurdle-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell.

Ridden by Jonathan Moore, the former Group 2-winning three-year-old was produced with a well-timed challenge to eventually beat runner-up Avenir D’Une Vie by a length and a half to score for owner Martin Hannan.

THE concluding Summer Party Pack Discount Bumper was won by the John Halley-trained Ballymacaw (7/2) who beat 5/4 favourite Global Society by two lengths.

The winner displayed signs of greeness through the race. a

Afterwards winning jockey Barry O’Neill reported: “I didn’t want to be in front but there was no pace and after passing the winning post first time around he was having a good look around.

“He is a baby, will step up again and had loads left at the line. Jumping is his game and it will give him something to keep his mind on.”

Rachael Blackmore had a winning first ride on Conrad Hastings in the featured €30,000 Galway Races Galway Plate Trial Handicap Chase as the jockey steered the gelding to a four-and-a-half-length win over Hash Brown.

Running in the colours of Clipper Logistics Group Ltd, Conrad Hastings was having his first run since last September’s Listowel Festival but showed no signs of ring-rustiness when scoring for his trainer Henry de Bromhead.

Blackmore said: “He is a high-class horse and it is good he is back to his old form.

“He jumped really well and it was my first time riding him.

“He has been off a little while so it was a good training performance to get him to do that on his first run back.”