BAILY MOON’S two and a quarter-length success in Wexford’s Vinegar Hill Beginners Chase was well-received by his trainer Mouse Morris who revealed after the Robert Scott-owned 7/2 chance had got the better of Go It Alone and the luckless favourite Milsean under Paul Townend: “My horses just hadn’t been right, so I had to take a pull and wait for them.

“I only have one or two in training for the summer, but this lad jumped well and I wouldn’t mind going for one of those Nationals because he’s a National type of horse.”

Henry de Bromhead, who was attending the sales in Doncaster, sent out Mullinavat, a former inmate of the David O’Brien yard, to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Chase. Ridden by Sean Flanagan and sporting the red and white starred colours of Mike Allen the 5/1 chance was driven out to account for joint-favourite Game Puppeteer by three and three-quarter lengths, with the other joint-favourite, Dawerann, back in sixth.

The jockey stated: “I’d ridden him in Downpatrick in the middle of last summer and got a great feel off him. He’s changed stables since and came back fresh after his break. He’s gone and done it quite well and they’ve done an absolutely beautiful job with the ground.”

QUICK DOUBLE FOR LYNCH

Andrew Lynch rattled off a quick double, in the second and third races, through Kiln Rock and Mr Picotee. Joe Hennessy’s 16/1 shot Kiln Rock kicked off the double for Lynch in the Rosslare Mares 80-109 Handicap Hurdle where the daughter of Scorpion stayed on well for a one and a half length victory over Lockeen Girl, with the favourite Platinum Empress back in third.

Hennessy trains the well-bred mare in Castlemartyr for his wife Bernie and said: “She’s very tough. I didn’t expect her to be in the number one spot, but I thought she’d run well. It was important to get a bracket for her, because her dam is a half-sister to Harbour Pilot and we bought her as a foal to breed from.

“She’s the only one I have in at the moment and our son Richard rides her out most times, so he deserves a lot of the credit. We’ll try and find another one for her, but the ground was quick enough for her there.”

Mr Picotee brought up the double for Lynch in the Slaney Handicap Hurdle when left with the race at his mercy by the crashing fall of Magna Cartor at the final flight. Winning trainer Vincent Halley said of his well-supported 15/8 favourite, owned by Dungarvan native Tom Fleming who now lives in Dublin: “He did it well in the end and Andrew said he was just idling a bit after the other horse fell. He was always travelling well in that ground and Andrew thought he had Magna Cartor covered when he fell.

“The drying ground was a help and I’d imagine I’ll pick out another hurdle for him. He’s improving and it’s a team effort with us. Since he had his wind operation he’s well able to handle tight tracks, but he’s a big horse and would probably prefer a big galloping track.”

GAMBLE LANDED

The Declan McNamara-trained Artical Eleven, with amateur Johnny Barry in the saddle, landed a gamble for his Bunratty owner Phil Callaghan in the Clare colours in the Welcome To Wexford Racecourse Maiden Hurdle.

Backed on course from 9/2 into 3/1, the seven-year-old took it up before five out and made the three-hour journey from his Cratloe base worthwhile when powering home from the final obstacle to score by two and a quarter lengths. Market leader No Secrets Here, whose rider subsequently reported that his mount never travelled, had to settle for sixth place.

With the winning trainer leading Artical Eleven away to the vet’s box, it was left to his representative Paddy Quinn to say: “He won a point-to-point last year and prefers this good ground. He’ll probably go for a beginners chase now.”

Jockey Paddy Kennedy and Strandhill, Co. Sligo trainer Mark McNiff got the right result in the Loch Garman 80-95 Handicap Hurdle when Albert Casey’s Mr Moondance (7/1) gained the upper hand half-way up the run-in to hold Soul Season by two and a quarter lengths for his first success.

Kennedy reported: “He did it the hard way and was keen all the way. The last day he got away from me, coming down the hill but, today I did the opposite and held on to him longer because I didn’t want to be in front too soon. He’s super to jump for a horse who came off the flat – he’s very quick and might jump a fence.”

ANOTHER BUMPER FOR MEADE

In-form trainer Noel Meade kept up his strike rate with yet another bumper win courtesy of Danny Benson’s all-the-way winning 9/10 favourite Major Destination in the Racing Again June 7th Flat Race. Owned by Meade’s loyal Belfast patron Patricia Hunt, the favourite put the experience of his two placed efforts to good use in defeating Cottonvale by four and three-quarter lengths.

The six-year-old’s rider commented: “I thought the last day in Kilbeggan they went a bit slow and he was caught for toe, so I wasn’t going to let that happen today. He’ll go hurdling for the summer.”

Acting Stewards

M.C. Hickey, P. Coveney, D.P. Hickey, M.F. O’Donoghue.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

CHATEAUNEUF DU PAP (A. Mullins): Was running an encouraging race in second in the bumper when clipping heels and almost coming down off the last bend, giving himself a fright in the process. Assuming his confidence has not been affected, looks capable of picking up a bumper win before too long.