FIRST-time cheekpieces helped focus course specialist Glendine River in last Saturday’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF 80-109 Handicap Hurdle at Tramore and it was mission accomplished for Brian Hayes’s mount.

The 9/1 shot, the only horse her owner, breeder and restricted trainer Dermot O’Brien has at his Dungarvan base, took it up at the last on her way to a decisive 11-length victory over Theydon Park.

Local hope Heron Heights lost his place after three out and never travelled, according to his rider. O’Brien, whose father-in-law Pat Duffy was on the mark with Courtin Bb 24 hours earlier, said of the cheekpieces: “They obviously worked and helped her concentrate. The change of tactics probably helped a lot as well after trying to make the running in Wexford. She just loves it around here and three of her four wins have been here.

“We might have to come back for a long distance flat race. She’ll mix it between that and hurdling and Brian deserves a lot of credit because he thinks about doing what’s best for the mare.”

Chris Timmons rode his first winner as a 5lb claimer aboard the always prominent 8/1 chance Lily Yeats in the Waterford & Tramore Racecourse Supporters Club Mares Beginners Chase. The six-year-old held the challenge of market leader Screaming Rose by a length in the colours of Paddy McKeon from Naas.

Shane Crawley, who trains in Tara, has made a solid start to his career and commented: “She jumped super. Over the first she was bad but, after that, she jumped her way into the race. She won here last August so she handled the track and I was quietly confident today. She’ll mix it between hurdles and fences.”

Line View, from James Dullea’s yard in West Cork, is another horse to have an affinity with the seaside course and he struck for the third time at the venue with an all-the-way five and a half-length success under Paul Townend in the Waterford & Tramore Racecourse Directors 0-109 Handicap Chase. The favourite, Game Puppeteer, reported to have run flat, dropped out of contention on the descent to the straight.

Dullea, trainer of the four-member Line View Syndicate-owned winner from Bandon, has a great strike rate here and said of his 8/1 winner: “It’s great for the owners and he’s been a great servant to the yard.

“That’s his fifth win for us and he’ll be kept on the go for the summer. I thought Paul gave him a great ride.”

The Andy Slattery-trained Sharjah landed a wholesale gamble in the McCarthys Fuel And Builders Providers 80-95 Handicap Hurdle when finding more for Stephen Gray to give 6lb and a three-length beating to the favourite Mullinavat.

Owned by the Killenaule trainer’s wife Sharon, this versatile money-spinner was backed from 33/1 the previous evening and from 14/1 on course into 8/1 and travelled smoothly throughout.

Sharjah is named after a country beside Dubai and, with Slattery having elected to go to Navan instead, it was left to his brother Brian to comment: “That’s 12 races he’s won now and he’s still well-handicapped over hurdles.

“The last day in Clonmel Stevie said he was flat fit, but not NH fit so we were expecting him to win today. He’s a right little horse and Stevie said he’ll win on the flat again.”

FAMILY SUCCESS

The August Racing Festival 17th-20th Maiden Hurdle was confined to horses that have not been placed in the first three in any of their races and the Denis Hogan-trained California Soul met the criteria to master Pat’s Pearl in the latter stages of the two-mile contest for a head win.

Hogan also rode the 8/1 shot (€11.30 on the Tote) and stated: “I missed the start and got further back than I wanted to be. He was dropping back to two and a half miles as well but he got there in the end. I always thought a fair bit of this horse and he was going to win in Bartlemy first time out this time last year but he tipped up.

“When I was pulling up after riding him in Down Royal last time, I had this race in my head and thought at least he still qualifies for Tramore.

“He’s owned by my parents Martin and Mary and can go anything from two miles to three. We’ll have a bit of summer fun with him.”

Naturally Blond (11/4) has been knocking at the door for a while and it finally opened for him in the www.tramore-racecourse.com Maiden Hurdle with a front-running one and three-quarter-length success over Novano in the hands of Pierce Gallagher. The disappointing favourite, Senewalk, faded between the final two flights to finish fourth.

Winning owner/trainer/breeder Paddy Cronin was understandably well pleased and commented: “Every time he runs, he runs well and he’s the only horse I have for the track.

“We schooled him over fences in Jim Culloty’s on Thursday and he has no respect for his hurdles, but will make a great chaser. He’s related to Belvederian and is from a good chasing family.”

Payngo, a 4/1 chance, took the honours for Mags Mullins and her next door neighbour Ger Mullins, who operates the public gallop in Doninga, when coming out on top for Katie Walsh in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Flat Race by a length, with market leader Emmas Dilemma only fifth.

“She’s a lovely mare,” said the trainer, “and Ger gets the fillies’ bonus as well. They’ve done a lovely job watering the track and she’ll probably go over hurdles. She jumps really well.”

Acting Stewards

N.P. Lambert, Ms D. Brophy, P. Coveney, M.F. O’Donoghue.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

SHARJAH (A. Slattery): This tough campaigner, who was winning for the 12th time, has a few more races left in him and is unlikely to be found wanting next time he runs.

Foley check-up

JOCKEY Barry John Foley went to hospital for X-rays on his ankle after being trodden on by fourth race casualty A Fine Young Mare.

The fourth hurdle in both the fifth and sixth races was omitted due to the low lying sun.