A TERRIFIC May meeting for Gordon Elliott yielded another feature race success as Swingbridge turned out in the form of his life to claim the €75,000 Tote Killarney National under Jack Kennedy.

The Noel Moran-owned 11-year-old has done much of his racing across the Irish Sea over the last year but he showed up well in a decent handicap chase at Punchestown last time before taking his form to a new level over this three and a quarter miles.

The good ground loving gelding relished the conditions and ran out an easy eight lengths winner over the 2017 hero Auvergnat. The 2018 winner Icantsay was a further four and a half lengths back in third.

This was a sixth victory for the gelding since was picked up for £5,500 two years ago.

“His last run was a good one and the trip and ground were perfect for him. He’s going to go up a fair bit in the weights for this so I’m not sure where we will go now but the Midlands National at Kilbeggan could be a target for him,” stated Elliott.

Earlier Elliott’s Flaxen Flare, a winner of the 2013 Fred Winter at Cheltenham, claimed the BetVictor Sliabh Luachra Hurdle under Kennedy to record his first win in four years.

The four-runner field featured two runners for Jessica Harrington and two for Elliott and the outcomes concerned a representative from either yard with Flaxen Flare, the 7/1 outsider of the quartet, getting the better of Woodland Opera.

The Patricia Sloan-owned gelding who was making up for an unlucky nose defeat in this race two years ago.

SEXTON RETURNS

It was an evening to cherish for former champion conditional Kevin Sexton who marked his return to the saddle after an injury plagued 10 months by landing the Grade 3 Seamus Weldon John Deere An Riocht Chase aboard Peregrine Run.

Only four went to post for this extended two and a half mile event but it served up a cracking finale with the first four home covered by less than two lengths.

Don’t Touch It, who eventually finished fourth, led over the last but he was headed by Peregrine Run shortly afterwards and the last-named managed to scramble home by a nose from Jett.

For Sexton, who has endured his share of tribulations, it was entirely fitting that he should ride this winner for a trainer who provided him with the second ride of his career.

“Kevin is in good place at the moment and there is no doubt that he is a very good rider. He’s been back with us about a month and hopefully he just knuckles down and keeps his head down,” reported Fahey who was speaking to Racing TV.

Of the Vincent Byrne-owned Peregrine Run, the trainer added: “He loves this place, it’s the third time that he’s won here and I’d say he will be back here in July. He hasn’t run well at Galway before so we might skip that and he’s eligible for some of those conditions hurdles during the summer so he will go back over hurdles at some stage.”

The market suggested that Doctor Duffy could take beating on his first venture over timber in the BetVictor Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles and the 9/10 favourite duly obliged for Charles Byrnes and Philip Enright.

The Relic Pride Partnership-owned gelding was last seen when accounting for the smart First Approach in a Cork bumper in October and he returned in similar heart to take charge before the last to defeat Abyssinian (returning from almost two years off) by three and three quarter lengths. The winning trainer indicated that Galway will be on Doctor Duffy’s agenda.

HIGH HOPES

It Came To Pass continued his successful transition to the hunter chasing scene as he made it two wins from his last three outings in the Dan Linehan’s Bar and B&B Hunters Chase.

An own-brother to Sub Lieutenant and a half-brother to Lord Windermere, the nine-year-old exited at the second last in the champion hunters chase at Punchestown when set to take second and compensation awaited here.

The 8/13 favourite is trained by Eugene O’Sullivan and he was partnered by the trainer’s daughter Maxine for this length and a quarter triumph over the veteran On The Fringe.

Next season’s Foxhunters at Cheltenham is the long term plan for the Alurie O’Sullivan-owned winner.

WELCOME WINNER

Philip Rothwell and jockey James O’Sullivan recorded their first winners since September and August respectively as Fiveaftermidnight (4/1) came back to form to take the BetVictor Mares Maiden Hurdle over two and three quarter miles.

The J.J. Leckey-owned mare was second in three maiden hurdles last year so certainly wasn’t winning out of turn and she produced a willing display to account for the 33/1 chance Whatsdastory by three lengths.

Joseph O’Brien recorded his second bumper success in as many days at the meeting as Joanna Walton made her first ride for the trainer a winning one on Baboin (5/4) took the BetVictor-sponsored lady rider’s bumper.

On his sixth outing the Martin O’Sullivan-owned gelding wore down Dubai Days to prevail by a head.

Eamon High, who won the maiden hurdle on this card last year, notched up his first victory since then in the Easy Clean Limited Handicap Hurdle where he provided Rachael Blackmore with her first winner of the new season.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge recovered well from losing some momentum at the last flight to hold the oncoming Waterville Dancer by a neck. Eamon High (16/1-10/1) is owned by Michael and Gerard Kehoe. Back in 2006 de Bromhead trained the gelding’s mother, Gabrona, to win a maiden hurdle at this meeting.

Suspension

PHILIP Enright was given a one day carless riding suspension after partnering Waterville Dancer into second in the handicap hurdle won by Eamon High.