KILLARNEY races finished for the year on Saturday as the concluding eight-race National Hunt card saw the John Ryan-trained Kilcarry Bridge book another trip to Co Kerry following his win in the featured Grade B MSL Cork Mercedes-Benz Handicap Chase.

Ridden by Danny Mullins, the son of Balakheri made much of the running in beating The Winkler by a length and Templemore based Ryan said: “He’ll run in the Kerry National now and I’ll have two for it, with him and Kylecrue. The two horses were nip and tuck on the gallops recently and I knew he (Kilcarry Bridge) would go close today.

“It’s hard luck to Donagh Meyler who has gone to Australia (for the Ireland-Australia Jockeys Series) but Danny won his beginners’ chase on him. The horses are back flying at the moment.”

The 16/1 winner carries the colours of the Darraugh’s Choice Syndicate.

There was a dramatic conclusion to the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle as the Willie Mullins-trained, Ruby Walsh-partnered Robin Des Foret (6/4 favourite) had his task greatly simplified by the final flight fall of challenging Wonderoftheworld.

Wonderoftheworld, under Denis O’Regan, had arrived with what looked a winning challenge approaching the last but exited at that hurdle and in the process brought down third-placed Cook Islands. The melee left Robin Des Foret to come home an eight-length winner from stablemate Miss Sapphire for the Byerley Racing Syndicate.

Mullins wasn’t present but Walsh said: “Denis (O’Regan) had just headed me and I was about a head down. We were both very long and my horse just about got there and Denis’ caught the top of it,” reported Walsh.

“I couldn’t tell you how well Denis was going but, in fairness, my horse kept going. He ran to a similar level he ran to at Galway and I imagine he may step into graded company now. In graded company he won’t have the same penalties but I wonder will he be good enough – we’ll find out then.”

O’Regan gained compensation by winning the next two races, starting with the Liam Cusack-trained Lasoscar in the McSweeney Arms Hotel Handicap Hurdle for owner Martin Kavanagh.

The 14/1 winner jumped the last untidily and, in the end, held runner-up Mine Now by three-quarters of a length.

Cusack commented: “We were hoping he’d get prize money from a light weight and he had a good run at Sligo the last day. He got caught once or twice then but finished off very well and probably the further distance today stood to him.

“He’s very game and it was a nice pot to win today and he’ll probably go over fences now.’’

O’Regan later doubled his score in the Malton Beginners Chase on Product Of Love (6/1), for his employer, owner Barry Connell.

The fences debutant produced a fine round of jumping and battled gamely for a length win over Roconga.

Winning trainer Alan Fleming wasn’t present but Connell said: “He won his bumper around here when he made all, and also won his point-to-point, so we knew he jumped well. He has a big stride so we said we’d let him bowl along and when he got to the front he relaxed. His jumping was class for a horse first time out over fences and that’s what won it for him.

“That’s probably his trip but he might get two miles, two furlongs. We’ll keep him to two miles. We’re getting to a stage of the year when if you win your maiden, you’re into a listed chase next.

“He needs good ground and we’ll look for a novice chase now.

“I have no doubt in my mind Wonderoftheworld would have won and I think he’d have won three or four lengths. Anyway he is 100% and we have him for another day.”

The other chase on the card, the Clifford Ground Care Ltd Novice Chase, was won by the Peter Fahey-trained admirable performer Peregrine Run, who was collecting an eighth win, under Roger Loughran, for Vincent Byrne.

The Grade 2-winning hurdler edged past Conrad Hastings close home for a half- length win and a delighted Fahey said: “Ruby’s horse (Rathvinden) beat us the last day but I thought if we could beat him anywhere it would be here with the three fences in the straight being a huge help as he doesn’t do a lot in front.

“He’ll tip away as long as the ground stays nice and I’d love to go to Cheltenham again in November! That’s the plan with him and after that we’ll freshen him up for something later on in the spring time.

“Roger (Loughran) gets on very well with him and Aoife (Fahey), my niece, rides him out at home and does a great job with him.”

COMFORTABLE

Racing began with the SeamusWeldon.com Maiden Hurdle which was won comfortably by the Mouse Morris-trained Balakani (9/1 for owner Adam Scott), under jockey Andrew Ring.

Morris explained: “That was very pleasing. He was a bit green at the start but it’s not badness and he does it (racing) when it counts,. My horses were all sick when he point-to-pointed last season and I’ll try one winners’ race with him but I’d like to go jumping (fences) with him soon.

“He’s French-bred and does jump but wants it softer than that and today’s ground would just be quick enough for him.”

Racing concluded with two bumpers, the first of which was won impressively by 2016 Cheltenham Festival ninth-placed First Figaro, for trainer Dermot Weld and jockey Finny Maguire.

Maguire’s mount quickened well to win comfortably and after winning the jockey said: “He has been a long time off but you could see in the parade ring he was ready and he had a lot of good form in the book.

“He is a hardy bumper horse with lots of experience and it was a very good performance in a very hot bumper. It goes to show the Weld horses are back in form. He is the right size for a hurdler and is a lovely scopey horse.”

The winning owners are the Bellamy Syndicate.

The the ML Lynch Civil Engineering INH Bumper was won by the Mikey Butler-trained Optical Confusion, who had the run of the race under jockey Jamie Codd and held the late challenge of Koroleva, under Patrick Mullins, by a neck, for owner Anthony Coughlan.

Codd’s manoeuvre to hem Koroleva into a pocket early in the home straight undoubtably made the difference in what proved a tight finish, and afterwards Codd stated, “the line came just in time but his two bumper runs were plenty good enough to win a bumper.”

Acting Stewards:

P. Barry, P. McLernon, M. Doyle, P.D. Matthews

Horse To Follow

KOROLEVA (W.P. Mullins): She was the victim of some clever race-riding by the winning jockey when finishing second in the finale and can gain compensation next time.