THE Walshes had an evening to remember on this ladies’ day card at Sligo, Ruby winning on two of his three mounts and Katie riding her first ever winner around the Cleveragh circuit.

In the featured BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle, 12-time champion jockey Ruby Walsh teamed up with his boss Willie Mullins on the Martin McHale-owned Ben Button (2/5).

A Galway winner from the Sunday card and a handicap ‘good thing’ for this assignment, back-in-trip Ben Button had to work for victory in the extended two and a half-miler. He eventually prevailed by one length and three-quaters of a length from Lasoscar and Hunters Call.

“I suppose the stiffness of the track helped him but he needed to jump as well as he jumped the last couple to hang in there,” reported Walsh.

Another Ballybrit participant turned out quickly set the ball rolling for the record-breaking rider.

Friday night second placer Ted Veale (10/11) also justified odds-on favouritism in the SF Engineering Consulting Hurdle.

A great servant down the years for John Breslin and Tony Martin, Ted Veale showed there’s plenty of life left in him yet as the 10-year-old fought off The Game Changer by a length and a quarter.

“Tony (Martin) thought the track would suit him maybe better than The Game Changer,” said the successful pilot.

“He said then not to be hanging around, I’d say he was right – stamina probably won it for him. It’s down to the trainer’s judgement, not mine.”

FIRST WIN

Katie Walsh surprisingly revealed that she’d just passed the post in front for the first time at the picturesque course after Conor O’Dwyer’s Sunrise Lady (4/1) came out on top in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares (Ladies Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.

In the Hugo Kane silks, Walsh dictated things to a nicety up front on the attractive daughter of Scorpion.

There was a major plunge here on Mysloegin. In spite of giving it a real good go, that eventual 5/2 second favourite had to yield by six lengths in second place.

“We’ve liked her all along. I bought her off John Berry. She won her point-to-point for me and I always thought she’d go to the track,” stated O’Dwyer. “I wasn’t sure if she was a bumper mare but Katie (just Dundalk left now to complete the full set) was brilliant on her.”

Young Liam Gilligan claimed 4lbs off Nellie Pledge (8/1) in the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle and the Dubai Destination mare got him off the mark on his seventh racecourse ride. For the five-year-old’s handler, Brian Cawley, it was also a breakthrough success.

Sponsor J.P. McManus’ Successor (7/4 into 6/5 favourite) was all the rage but he couldn’t cope with the patiently-ridden Nellie Pledge in the straight and six lengths split them at the line.

Bred by Gilligan’s mother Natalie, and owned by Cawley’s father Padraic, Nellie Pledge landed a point-to-point back in the spring.

“I started in the pony racing and I’m working with Brian (in Craughwell),” revealed 16-year-old Gilligan, a son of Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Paul.

Ryan Treacy was injured falling off Raising Cain in the parade ring forcing the 66/1 shot’s withdrawal.

Dr Adrian McGoldrick said on Friday morning: “Ryan is fine. He was scanned in Sligo and he just has some bruising in his pelvis. He’ll be out for a few days. Currently it’s significant bruising – nothing more than that.

“There was great concern for him obviously as he’d very badly fractured his pelvis last year in Galway.”

MCMANUS

J.P. McManus got in on the act elsewhere, twice in fact, including when Market’s Field (7/2) led home a one-two for him in the Bourbon Bar Handicap Hurdle.

In the words of the man on his back, Donal McInerney, Market’s Field “travelled everywhere”. After the 7lb claimer had “kept a hold of him until the last,” the Wexford beginners’ chase victor from July doubled-up by four lengths from Let’s Twist Again.

Enda Bolger has care of Market’s Field.

Gambled-on market-leader Icantsay could do no better than fourth place.

Mag Mullins earlier sent out Dundrum Lad (7s into 6s) for McManus, to triumph in the Harrington Concrete And Quarries Handicap Hurdle off the back of a 342-day absence.

Jody McGarvey did the steering on the half-brother to Grade 1 novice hurdler Backspin and they got home by two and a quarter lengths from the favourite Broughtons Star.

“The trip there (two miles) might have been a bit short but I had him in it because it was his first run back for a while,” said Mullins.

On the scoresheet here the previous day, at the well-attended fixture with Delegate, Gigginstown House Stud and Davy Russell struck again in the opening Clayton Hotel Maiden Hurdle with 16/1 shot Hardback.

The Morozov gelding unseated in a point-to-point on his only previous appearance in public 872 days back. There’s little doubt then that it represented a fine effort on the part of trainer Joseph O’Brien to have him ready to win this.

After Hardback had seen off Silver Star and Sharps Choice by half a length and two and a half lengths, Russell commented: “They weren’t sure what he was really, coming in here. Obviously he’s a six-year-old but I’d say he’s fine and we’re pleasantly surprised.”