PHILIP Enright kickstarted his season with a double at Cork last Saturday, kicking off his brace on the Sam Curling-trained Troubled Times (11/8 favourite) in the Storm The Stars Rated Novice Hurdle.

The daughter of Shirocco won a Gowran listed bumper in September and today followed up a March maiden hurdle win when readily scoring from a rating of 109.

“She seems to be improving away and had a grand mark,” said Curling. “Hopefully she will stay improving and that’s as soft as she wants it. I know she has won on soft ground but is better on better ground. She jumps super and Philip gave her a lovely ride.

“She is a homebred by the Clearys (owner William Cleary) and took a bit of time so they are delighted now. I’d say we’ll aim towards Galway.”

Completed

Enright completed his double 35 minutes later with the Edward O’Grady-trained 28/1 outsider Ceroc in the Follow Us On Twitter Handicap Hurdle.

Carrying the colours of Kay Russell, the handicap debutant outbattled Banks Boy on the run-in to score by a half-length.

“He has been disappointing but seemed to get his mojo back,” O’Grady said. “Funny enough, he ran two good races for Philip (Enright) before and then was disappointing. We thought he was a nice horse but he lost his way a bit. I think the track is important to him as he ran well in Navan and Naas and he needs more of a galloping track.”

Trainer Henry de Bromhead, owner Malcolm Denmark and jockey Rachael Blackmore combined to win the Mallow Maiden Hurdle with Gold Bullion (7/1), which recently reappeared following a 748-day layoff and today scored by a length and a half from Pray Tell.

“He did it really well stepping up in trip,” Blackmore reported. “We weren’t sure about today’s distance (extended three miles) but he saw it out really well.

“He is a lovely horse, very straightforward to ride and while he was watching what he was doing, I couldn’t fault him. He had run a lovely race the last day after a long layoff so we were hoping he’d improve and he did.”

CHAMPION jockey Paul Townend began his title defence at Cork on Saturday where he won on his second ride of the season, on the Willie Mullins-trained Pink In The Park (8/13 favourite) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Grade 1-placed at the Fairyhouse Easter festival on her previous start, the Roaringwater Syndicate-owned mare made all for a five-and-a-half-length win over Roccos Inspiration.

“She likes that nicer ground and was entitled to do that,” Townend reported. “She had experience and it was handy to go out and just keep it simple on her. She wasn’t in love with the ground throughout the winter but likes the better ground.

“She was having a little look in front but I was in control of the race everywhere and was able to dictate away. It was probably surprising it took her so long to win her maiden but her run in Fairyhouse was good for breeding later on.”

Townend began with a losing ride in the opening Sign Up To Our Newsletter Maiden Hurdle, which was won by Tom Mullins’ Rightsotom, which justified 1/3 favouritism, under the trainer’s nephew Danny Mullins and for owner Rita Byrne.

An also-ran in the Triumph Hurdle before filling fourth-place in an Aintree Grade 1, Rightsotom also made all in scoring easily from Spy.

“He won like a 1/3 shot and it was grand to get the job done,” the trainer said. “It was still only the fourth race of his career and he is an exceptional hurdler.

“He is a half-brother to a Grade 2 horse in Italy and while he was always a nice horse, he had trouble with little niggly things during the winter and that’s why he only had a few runs.

“He could now go the flat route and there are also nice handicap hurdles for him during the summer.”

FATHER and son, trainer and jockey Eric and Conor McNamara combined to win the Racing Again May 17th Handicap Hurdle with Holiday In Kerry (8/1), which registered a second success for the Forever Optimists Syndicate.

McNamara senior stated: “I’m delighted for Vincent (Casey, owner in attendance) and the eight-member syndicate as they have been wonderful owners. He has been placed numerous times and that’s his second win.

“I’d like to think there’s a handicap chase in him off a similar mark, he wants extreme staying distances and today’s ground is as good as he wants it. We might run once more but he’ll have a break and come back for Listowel in September.” The concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Bumper saw Young Lucy produce a fine performance to win for trainer Tony Martin, jockey Derek O’Connor and owner Ray Grehan.

“That’s why you employ the likes of those top men (O’Connor) and there was no point in asking me how to ride her so I left the instructions to him,” Martin said.

“She is well able to leap and has already run over hurdles but has the option of the flat route as well. I’d imagine she could be dual-purpose and will go a mile and a half on the flat. She is a lovely mare for Ray (Grehan, owner) so fingers crossed.”