SOUL Searcher sprung a 14/1 surprise under Rory Cleary in the featured Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Connacht Oaks Fillies Handicap at Sligo. Home-bred at owner Wendy and Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud, she was recently brought back from France where she had three outings.

Trainer Johnny Murtagh saddled Soul Searcher, three times a winner in England in 2015, as well as 3/1 chance Sister Blandina. The latter finished fourth for Niall McCullagh. Up front Soul Searcher asserted well inside the last to beat Ringside Humour by two lengths. Well-backed 7/4 favourite Lagostovegas was seven lengths back in third.

Murtagh revealed in the aftermath: “I fancied Sister Blandina coming down but Eddie O’Leary was adamant that the winner handled soft ground well in France.

“She was bought with the aim of trying to get a bit of blacktype. She’ll have to improve and has a bit to go to get that, but she’s an honest staying filly and I think she is capable of further improvement.”

An irresistible combination at present, Andy Slattery and Declan McDonogh struck again with a near 16/1 double, completed by the Men Of Forty Eight’s great servant, An Saighdiur (7/2 favourite), in the Darcy Contract Cleaning Services Rated Race.

McDonogh soon had the now 10-time winner An Saighdiur in front, and he was always looking good on his way to a four and a half length dismissal of Bubbly Bellini.

“That’s great. He got his ground and was impressive there,” said Slattery. “He’s been coming back to himself. He was very sick in mid-summer but has been coming back steadily.

“The owners like a trip to Ayr. He has run well there and was placed twice in the Silver Cup but hasn’t really got it soft enough.”

An hour earlier, in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Auction Maiden (Plus 10 Race), the brace was initiated by the Michael Quinlan-owned Jose Echegaray (11/4).

Following on from Creggs Pipes and Planchart’s heroics at Galway, Slattery and McDonogh gained another win with the former champion jockey bustling Jose Echegaray into a prominent position from his outside draw, and getting the better of Ontheiflist by three lengths.

“He ran a grand race in Tipperary and then the owner wanted a runner in Galway and he needed that run as he was still green early on,” said Slattery.

“Nothing went right in Galway, which was a better race. He was slow at the start and was slow again today. He’s still a bit backward and could be okay.”

WELD STRIKES

All Crazy Now, Orangey Red and Alishan mightn’t have come up to expectations in earlier races for Dermot Weld, but Calumet Farms’ Sea Swift (7/4 favourite) impressed under Pat Smullen in the Students Day 28th September Race.

Following up her maiden win from Naas in June, when she provided Weld with his 4,000th winner, here Sea Swift led before the straight and she was soon in command. In the end, the three-year-old was on top in the four-runner contest, winning by 11 lengths from My Brother.

“The step up in distance helped,” commented Smullen. “We didn’t know if she would handle ground that deep but she went through it well. She travelled extremely well. She’s a filly I like going forward and I think there is more improvement to come.”

Jason Cairns got off the mark in the training ranks with Jeremys Joy (9/1), as Robbie Downey guided Joseph O’Brien’s four-year-old home in the Glasshouse Hotel Handicap.

Having won a couple of races before, for two different yards, Jeremys Joy obliged on attempt number two for Cairns as Downey brought his mount through from towards the back of the field to lead before the straight. She was ridden clear from over a furlong out and stayed on strongly to easily defeat Miss Ballygally by seven lengths.

“She only moved in about a fortnight ago. She was badly hampered in Galway at the bottom of the hill and Gary (Carroll) stood up on her,” said Cairns. “The ground is the big key to her. I have three or four in training - mainly point-to-pointers - and she is the only one for the flat.

“I’m a Tyrone man but I moved to Donegal and I’m based in Castlefin.”

BATTLE

Duck Egg Blue (13/2) and Gifted Lady had a good battle for honours in the six runner Ladies Day At Sligo 4th August Nursery Handicap. The former prevailed in the hands of Chris Hayes for owner/breeder Leslie Prendergast.

Front-runner Gifted Lady tried hard to repel Duck Egg Blue, but at the finish she had to yield by half a length. Favourite Steelyeyed had many backers at 5/2. She came home two and a half lengths further back in third.

“She was giving a lot of weight away (to the second) but she’s a homebred and they are as tough as nails,” said Hayes of Kevin Prendergast’s charge.

In the finale, the Rugby Race Day 16th August Handicap, Aa Bee See (13/2) provided the Madden family with another good day in the west, by adding to Shake The Bucket’s gains from Galway last week.

Tom Madden was aboard the J.P. McManus-owned Holy Roman Emperor gelding for his father Niall, and he kept on well inside the final furlong to keep outsider Larksville at bay by three lengths. Market-leader Banff (5/4) gained the third spot, a length and a quarter behind.

“I’m delighted for Tom as he’s had a bit of a quiet spell. He gave him a great ride so it’s lovely,” said Madden snr. “The last day the ground was too quick for him.”

ACTING STEWARDS

D. Gavin, P.J. O’Connor, J.F. Gillespie, D. Pugh, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

GIFTED LADY (M Mulvany) She can win a nursery somewhere if her effort when second behind Duck Egg Blue is anything to go by.