THE intervention of the stewards and a lengthy period of deliberation was required to decide the outcome of the €55,000 Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle which eventually went to the initial runner-up Gold Seal, who was promoted at the expense of the first past the post, Kuiper Belt.

At the line, the Gordon Elliott-trained Kuiper Belt had just a short-head to spare over Gold Seal but the interference caused by him between the last two flights made a reversal in placings nigh on inevitable.

The decision of the stewards credited 7lb claimer Evan Daly with his biggest victory to date, while it capped a treble for Joseph O’Brien.

The drama began to unfold at the second last where Gold Seal jumped slightly left into the Denis O’Regan-ridden Kuiper Belt.

The last-named then had to angle out from the inner to take aim at the leader and in the process of making this manoeuvre he hampered Gold Seal.

Kuiper Belt jumped to the front at the last and stayed on grittily to prevail but when Gold Seal had cut back the lead just a short-head at the line a disqualification appeared inevitable.

However, it took 20 minutes of deliberations before it was announced that the placings had been reversed. It was an unfortunate outcome for the connections of Kuiper Belt, but the correct decision was reached. Denis O’Regan was hit with a two-day careless riding ban for his efforts.

“It was a lovely pot to win with him and the young lad gave him a smashing ride and when he came in he felt he was unlucky and that he’d just gotten stopped at the wrong time,” said winning owner J.P. McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

“Now that he’s won on that ground he might have more of a chance of handling winter ground than I thought. We’ll look for another handicap with him.”

Melissa Margolis, owner of Kuiper Belt, has lodged an appeal. No date has been set for the appeal as of yet.

CLASSY PERFORMANCE

O’Brien and McManus also combined to take the John McGuire Beginners Chase with the Galway Hurdle fifth Le Richebourg.

This classy five-year-old reached a rating of 141 over hurdles and could easily go higher over fences on this evidence.

The 4/5 favourite relished the switch to the larger obstacles as he turned in some superb jumps over the course of this extended two miles. Arvico Bleu made this a good test from the front but Le Richebourg was equal to the task and, he produced smart jumps at the last two fences which helped him to a cosy one-and-three-quarter-length triumph.

“He jumped great and you couldn’t have asked for better. He ran a blinder in the Galway Hurdle when the ground went for him a little and it’s nice to see him come out and do that first time out over fences,” commented Frank Berry.

“He loves to jump which is a big help and he’ll go for a novice chase next.”

LOVELY MARE

O’Brien was earlier successful with Beautiful Citi in the Jet O’Carroll Memorial Irish EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle where disaster struck for odds-on punters at the second last flight.

Diamond Hill (8/15) was going nicely in the lead but she overjumped, knuckled badly and came to a virtual standstill which handed the race to O’Brien’s dual bumper winner.

Beautiful Citi (9/4) was the only threat to Diamond Hill coming to two out and she was far from done with but her rival’s misfortune allowed her to coast to a nine lengths victory Duchess Ravenwaves, while Diamond Hill was beaten just over 13 lengths into fourth.

The Sean O’Driscoll-owned and bred winner was ridden by Davy Russell.

“It’s not often a Cork man gets to take a trophy out of Kerry so I’m absolutely delighted,” declared the winning owner.

“She’s a lovely, lovely mare she has never disappointed us, she has a great attitude and has it all. Hopefully if she stays sound we will have an exciting future with her.”

The progressive Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle series kicked off with a victory for the Brian Cawley-trained and Liam Gilligan-ridden Whatsafellatodo.

A first winner of the year for both trainer and jockey, the Joseph Daniels-owned and bred gelding showed his 50/1 second in a Kilbeggan maiden hurdle last month was no fluke.

On just his fourth racecourse outing Whatsafellatodo touched down in front after two out and he flew the last flight to maintain a useful lead over the favourite, Court Maid, who went down by a length and a half.

This maiden hurdle series will conclude with a €75,000 final at the end of the season.

“He’s a nice horse and I’d say that Kilbeggan made a man of him – when Liam sent him on today he stayed dead straight. I’ve 10 in training at the moment and I moved to a new yard in March,” reported Cawley.

STRONG FINISH

The Gavin Cromwell-trained and Brien Kane-ridden Brex Drago struck again in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle.

The 3/1 favourite was travelling powerfully in second on the approach to the straight and saw off chief market rival Internal Transfer after the second last.

On the run-in, Brex Drago found plenty to hold the effort of Slippery Serpent by a length and a quarter.

“He had plenty of soft-ground form on the flat and he handled that ground well. That was two and a half miles today but the way he travelled there you wouldn’t have a problem bringing him back to two miles,” commented Cromwell, who trains the six-year-old for Marhan Limited.

The card concluded with a nice display from Pat Fahy’s Drop The Anchor in the Kerry Petroleum Flat Race.

The 7/2 favourite, responded nicely to Richie Deegan’s promptings to take control of this race over the last furlong. He crossed the line with three lengths to spare over the second favourite, Kerrkenny Gold.

“I wasn’t really planning on coming here but he worked well at the Curragh recently and it’s nice to see he’s come out and shown that he’s improved over the summer. He might now go to Navan for a listed bumper,” stated Fahy, who trains the son of Shantou for the Equine Gold Syndicate.

Bay Hill maintained Padraig Roche’s bright start to his training career as he justified good support to take the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

The J.P. McManus-owned grey, who was only just touched off in last month’s Amateur Derby at the Curragh, was returned the 3/1 favourite under Liam McKenna and his supporters didn’t have too many anxious moments.

He readily contained the effort of Misty Millie to prevail by two and a half lengths.

“He’s done that well and it’s great to get a winner down here. It’s a flat track which probably suits him well and we’ll keep him going now between the flat and hurdles,” remarked Roche.

ACTING STEWARDS

P.J.A. O’Connor, O. Kearney, M. O’Driscoll, G. Coughlan, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

SUCCESSOR (J.P. O’Brien): He wasn’t disgraced in the beginners’ chase won by Le Richebourg. There has been some promise in a couple of his initial efforts over fences which would suggest that he will be able to make his mark over the larger obstacles.