DE Name Escapes Me landed his second feature handicap of the season when taking advantage of a light weight in the €50,000 Foxrock Handicap Chase.

The J. P. McManus-owned gelding captured another Grade B handicap at Naas last month when a smooth winner of the Sky Sports Racing Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle, and was sent off a well-backed 13/8 favourite as he switched back to fences in this two and a half-mile event.

Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden produced the eight-year-old to challenge Solomn Grundy bypassing the last fence, which was damaged in the previous race, and he kept on best to beat that rival by a cosy half-length. The pair stretched nine lengths clear of Burren Life in third.

“It looked like he was well handicapped but every time we ran him in a chase before we didn’t know if he was going to do it at all. He’s had plenty of problems too but he seems to be in a better place now,” said trainer Noel Meade. “He’s not brave at his fences and it suited him with the last fence out of it.”

ELLIOTT TREBLE

Gordon Elliott was away supervising runners at Aintree but maintained his great record here with a 41/1 treble highlighted by Hardline in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Klairon Davis Novice Chase.

Us And Them made most of the running in this two-mile, one-furlong Grade 3 but was headed by Hardline at the penultimate fence, and the Gigginstown-owned 11/10 favourite soon took control to beat that rival by a convincing 10 lengths.

Winning rider Davy Russell said: “He jumped well and we didn’t hang around. J.J. (Slevin, rider of Us And Them) was travelling a lot better than I anticipated because Dr Mikey can go a good gallop and he was beaten early. He’s effective over that trip and quick at his jumps.”

Kevin Brogan, a graduate of RACE and based with the Longwood trainer, was seen to good effect when partnering his first winner aboard the Lee Power-owned Askari in the John Lynch Carpets Handicap Hurdle.

The 9/1 chance led approaching the final flight in this two-mile, six-furlong event, and drew right away in the closing stages to beat Lady Quill by six lengths.

The 18-year-old amateur said afterwards: “I’m with Gordon nearly a year now and that’s my first winner from 10 rides. I’m from Kill, Co Kildare but have no real background in racing. I just fell into it, and graduated from the racing school.”

IMPRESSIVE

The Very Man, impressive winner of a four-year-old maiden at Loughanmore this spring, looks another exciting prospect for the Gigginstown/Elliott team after showing a smart turn of foot a furlong out under Lisa O’Neill to justify evens favouritism by nearly four lengths in the Hotel Park In St Johann Tirol Austria Flat Race.

“He seems to be sharp and they thought a lot of him when he won his point-to-point. The slow early pace kind of suited him as he’s a horse with gears, and he quickened up when I wanted him. He’s a lovely horse with a nice future,” said O’Neill.

Solomn Grundy’s trainer Henry de Bromhead went one better in the Mervyn Gray Construction Beginners Chase where Chris’s Dream (15/8) made an impressive switch to fences.

Successful in a point-to-point and facile winner of a Grade 3 over hurdles at Clonmel last season, Robcour’s giant gelding made most to beat Gun Digger by three lengths.

DELIGHTED

The Knockeen trainer was delighted: “It was a super ride from Robbie (Power) and he jumped great. He was great that day at Clonmel on bottomless ground and it’s nice to see that he doesn’t need that ground. It’s lovely to win your beginners’ like that and jump with that fluency.

“He’s in the three-mile at Leopardstown and we’ll see how he is. I was impressed with him today. He’s probably more a three-mile horse and he won nicely over two and a half.”

Buildmeupbuttercup, a dual bumper winner for Mick Channon last season, made a bright start for champion trainer Willie Mullins in the Kells Maiden Hurdle for owner J. Turner. The 2/1 chance cruised to the front in the straight and looked set for an impressive victory when clear after the last.

However, she needed to be ridden out close home to hold off Dancing On My Own by a diminishing half-length.

Her rider Paul Townend commented: “She travelled great to the last and was getting tired but I was in front plenty soon enough. It’s a long way from the last to the line here but I never felt like I was going to be passed. The 7lb we were getting probably helped.

“She’s a classy filly and can only build on that as she is very novicey. She has plenty of boot and I wouldn’t say she wants to go beyond two miles.”

Moskovite, owned and bred by Robert Hennelly, was also a popular order when justifying 9/4 favouritism against 20 rivals in the two-mile, four-furlong Club Active Gym Mares Maiden Hurdle. Trained and ridden by Denis Hogan, the grey mare really stamped her authority after the last drawing clear to beat Kingston Girl by five and a half lengths.

Hogan said: “She’s just like her dam (Moskova) as she toughs it out. At no stage was I running away through the race, she was a bit idle and down the back I was stoking her along but the further she goes the better.

“There is a bit of Flemensfirth in her, a bit quirky but the engine is there.

“She had a mark of 116 which was interesting but the mares’ bonus scheme is worth five grand and it’s not to be missed when you can get it. It’s a great incentive for breeders and mares owners and there should be a lot more of them bonus schemes.

“I was supposed to be going away for a few days to New York but I delayed it until Monday to ride this weekend.”

Acting Stewards

L. McFerran, R. S. Martin, Dr J. Moloney, P. Dunican, H. Hynes.

Horse To Follow

DANCING ON MY OWN (H. de Bromhead) Finished really strongly in the maiden hurdle and should gain compensation next time when upped in trip.