THE 2014 season at Sligo came to an end on Wednesday with a large crowd in attendance for the annual Student Day.

Mouse Morris brought two horses to the western venue and both obliged. Call Rog initiated the double for the Co Tipperary handler as he ran out a comfortable winner of the four-runner IT Sligo Student Day Rated Novice Chase under Mark Walsh. Sent off the third choice of punters at 2/1 the J.P. McManus-owned gelding raced in second before improving to lead from the fifth. He was joined at the fourth last but kicked on again after two out, stretching clear on the run-in to score by seven lengths.

Morris said afterwards: “He jumped well and he probably wants a bit further. It’s the first time that I’ve been here for about 40 years. It was a lucky track for me and I rode a good few winners here.”

The much-maligned Spot Fine completed the 26/1 brace for Morris as he finally got off the mark in the concluding St Angela’s College Sligo Beginners Chase. Placed 15 times from his 25 starts, the Michael and John O’Flynn-owned gelding was sent off an 8/1 chance although he had just three rivals to beat.

He made virtually all under David Casey and while he was strongly pressed from the second last he battled gamely under pressure to repel the late surge of the 8/11 favourite Time Please by a nose.

“I have no plans for him. He deserved it. An inch is as good as a mile to him!” Morris commented in the aftermath.

Owner J.P. McManus just missed out on a treble with Time Please, after he had earlier doubled up with Tom Horn in the Foley´s Bar & Off Licence Chase.

First time blinkers appeared to work the oracle on the seven-year-old son of Beneficial as he bounced back to form after disappointing on his last number of starts. Backed from 9/4 into 7/4 on-course, the Noel Meade-trained gelding was settled in second by Paul Carberry and hit the front before five out. He went a few lengths clear entering the straight and he soon put the race to bed, going on to score by six and a half lengths.

Arzembouy Premier was sent off the 6/5 favourite but he could only manage a well-beaten second.

Meade remarked: “We put blinkers on as Frank (Berry, McManus’ racing manager) felt he was not jumping as well as he can. Paul said his jumping improved as he went around today. He’s in the Munster National and we’ll look at the Cork National and other long distance races. The further they go the better for him.”

Another convincing winner was He’s Our Man as he took the featured Martin Reilly Motors Santa Fe Handicap Chase for trainer Ross O’Sullivan. The versatile nine-year-old opened at 14/1 on-course but he was backed into 10/1 at the off. Having his first start over fences for more than a year, the son of Statue Of Liberty led after the fourth last.

Nearest The Pin looked a big danger as he came with his challenge two out but he crashed out there leaving the Kangley Syndicate owned victor with a clear lead. He increased his advantage turning into the straight and he was ridden out on the run-in by Davy Russell, winning by six lengths.

“He’s a very good horse over fences and that’s his sixth win. In fairness Davy was on looking for the ride early in the week and I knew that was a good sign,” said O’Sullivan.

The other handicap on the programme, the Why Not Sponsor A Race At Sligo Handicap Chase, went the way of the Val O’Brien-trained Abarta.

Owned by O’Brien’s brother Sean, the eight-year-old disappointed at Ballinrobe recently when sent off favourite and he was backed from 10/1 to 8/1 on-course for this three-mile contest.

Prominent throughout under Phillip Enright, he hit the front approaching two out and while he was strongly pressed by Survival from before the last he pulled out more in the closing stages to triumph by three-quarters of a length.

O’Brien explained: “He was a bit disappointing at Ballinrobe where he was dropped in and jumped high. He saw more daylight today and jumped better. He needs three miles.”

Punters had better luck in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase as Elsie scored on her second start over fences. Owned by the executors of the late Sheila Moore, the daughter of Milan went to post the even-money favourite.

Paul Townend had an easy time of it aboard the Tom Mullins-trained mare as she went clear on the run-in to win by three and a half lengths.

“She was just a bit careful and slow with her jumping but I knew after the second last when I gave her a squeeze that I had plenty left,” reported Townend.

Like Elsie, It’s All An Act had finished second on his debut over fences, and he progressed to land the Frank O´Beirne Memorial Beginners Chase for John ‘Shark’ Hanlon.

Settled in second by Andrew McNamara the two-time bumper winner cruised into the lead after the second last and he was ridden out on the run-in to prevail by four and a half lengths.

The Annette Mee-owned winner was returned at 13/8 with the runner-up Illtakeitfromhere just heading the betting at 6/4.

“It’s lovely that he has won a chase. He jumps brilliant. It’s hard to believe that he’s 90 over hurdles and can’t win one. Andrew said he’s a much better chaser than a hurdler,” stated Hanlon.