JACK Kennedy announced his return from suspension in spectacular style as he reeled off a treble which concluded when the much improved Lieutenant Highway made it three wins on the spin in the Bective Stud Mullacurry Cup Handicap Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott’s charge was switching into handicap company for the first time following a couple of rated race victories and the 3/1 favourite turned in a commanding effort to win in the style of a horse who could be going places.

The Micheal Hanrahan-owned five-year-old made all the running under Kennedy, who was fresh from a brief trip to America for his brother David’s wedding, and he readily kept his rivals at bay in the straight to reach the line with just over six lengths to spare.

“He’s going the right way and he’s settling better,” said the trainer. “I thought he’d win a couple this summer but I didn’t think he’d win four in a row. He got a lovely ride and seems to appreciate nice ground so if the weather holds up we will look towards Listowel.”

Upstaged

Kennedy was on board another useful looking type in the Paul Power-trained Shannon Glory who upstaged the odds on Jeremys Flame in the Gerry Cromwell Memorial Mares Hurdle over two and a half miles.

This Sean Begley-owned mare was a wide-margin winner of a Killarney maiden hurdle last month but turned in a vastly better effort in a much stronger race. From the third last, the 7/2 shot had the measure of the market leader and she kept on nicely from the final flight to finish just under four lengths ahead of the 116-rated Motown Maggie.

“She seems to be a mare on the up and hopefully she can keep going that way. She jumped very well and did it very well,” reflected Kennedy.

Gordon Elliott also supplied the rider with his first winner of the evening as Wicklow Flyer (6/1) came back to form in the Whiteriver Wood Flooring Claiming Hurdle over two and a half miles.

This Pioneer Racing-owned five-year-old led from early on and was afforded considerable leeway by the chasing pack which enabled her to build up a huge lead. The pack closed in steadily from three out but Wicklow Flyer had simply been given too much rope and a good jump at the final flight set her up for a three-and-a-half-length triumph over the 13-year-old My Manekineko.

“That’s why Jack is as good as he is. He said there was no pace so he let her rip along,” declared Elliott who made it 50 winners for the season with this victory.

Shark Hanlon picked up the winner for €5,000, Gearoid Brouder secured the runner-up for the same price while the third-placed Mandarin Monarch will join Norman Lee for €4,000. Meanwhile, the fifth-placed Ashqar has joined Paul Gilligan for €4,000.

IT was a good evening for local connections and Gavin Cromwell’s Final Orders, in the colours of the locally-based CMD Syndicate, won his first race in just under two years in the 80-102 rated Reddans Of Bettystown Handicap Hurdle.

The 100/30 favourite was left with a fractional lead when Naturally Blond blundered at the third last and he dug in well for Keith Donoghue from this point onwards to reach the line a length and three parts ahead of Inforapenny. A trip to Listowel could be next for the Camelot gelding.

Eamon Delaney and his son Alan, an integral part of the Bellewstown set up, secured another treasured winner at this track with Mater Matuta (9/1) in the 80-95 rated John Purfield Memorial Handicap Hurdle. A winner over fences at Tramore several months ago, the David Jordan-owned mare toughed it out splendidly for Jordan Gainford from the third last to get home by a neck from the 6/4 favourite Golden Sandbanks.

“We love a winner here,” stated Alan Delaney. “We lay them out for here and we’ve local owners so we try to have winners here. We had it in our mind we’d like to get back here with her and chasing seems to have put a bit of life into her and the cheekpieces helped her too.”