THE return of racing to Kilbeggan yielded one of the most memorable stories of the season as 59-year-old healthcare assistant and amateur rider Simon Condon rode the first winner of his career aboard Eat The Book in the 80-109 rated handicap hurdle over just short of three miles.

A 10-race maiden who was running for the first time since November, the David Dunne-trained Eat The Book was returned at 40/1 but made a mockery of that price.

After looking on from the rear for much of the race Eat The Book was produced with a sustained charge from the third last and he swept by A Different World on the run-in to score by five and a half lengths.

A long time coming

“I got some kick out of it, I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” exclaimed the delighted winning rider. “My dad bought this horse for me to ride and the horse broke his elbow in Thurles one day and the prognosis was bad but David nursed him back to full health, he’s a fantastic trainer. I must also thank Warren O’Connor as he helped me get my fitness and technique in order. I knew the horse would stay and I just let him get into a rhythm and jump from hurdle to hurdle.”

NAME Me Famous sprang a 22/1 surprise at Limerick earlier in the month when fitted with first-time cheekpieces and a tongue-tie and, with the same equipment to aid his cause, he made it back-to-back victories in the 80-102 rated handicap hurdle over just short of two miles.

Richie Deegan’s mount led before the last and he went on to see off Y Fyn Duw A Fydd by four lengths. The six-year-old is owned by Denis Enright and will stay going for the next few months according to McCarthy.

O’Rourke’s reward

Edward O’Grady made it a dozen winners for the season as Huntingtown, in the colours of Dermot O’Rourke, registered the first success of his career in the 80-102-rated handicap hurdle over just short of two and a half miles.

On his handicap debut and wearing cheekpieces for the first time, the five-year-old produced a nice effort on just his sixth career start.

The 10/1 chance seemed to have the measure of Eoin McCarthy’s favourite Dylan Lombardy from before the last and he got to the line three lengths ahead of that rival.

The trainer later recalled that Dermot O’Rourke was one of his first owners when he began training back in 1972.

The 2022 curtain raiser at Kilbeggan turned into a fairly one-sided affair as Joseph O’Brien’s Faron (100/30) got off the mark on his third start over timber in the first division of the near two-mile maiden hurdle.

The Newtown Anner Stud-owned four-year-old son of Fascinating Rock came here off a respectable fourth to Rebel Step at Limerick earlier in the month and took a step forward in first-time cheekpieces.

Once J.J. Slevin asked the front-runner to raise his effort after two out, Faron responded generously to eventually reach the line 11 lengths ahead of Free Handshake.

Mauritius makes it all the way

THE second division of the maiden hurdle also witnessed an all-the-way success as Sizing Mauritius struck for Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power. In the colours of Alan and Ann Potts Limited, this five-year-old took a step forward on his first two outings to finish third in a Limerick maiden hurdle last time.

The 6/4 favourite was tracked throughout by market rival Showbusiness but the latter wasn’t too fluent at the second last and from this point he could never quite get back on terms as Sizing Mauritius went on to score by three and three-quarter lengths.

Robbie Power reported that the winner could be heading for a dispersal sale of Potts-owned horses which is due to take place next month.

THE card concluded with a double for Willie and Patrick Mullins in the bumpers and it was firstly the turn of Walk On The Moone in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares INH Flat Race. This half-sister to the likes of Mount Ida and Sizing Tennessee produced a performance in keeping with her position as the 8/15 favourite.

The Whitegrass Racing Syndicate-owned daughter of Walk In The Park had this race under control from some way out and she ran out an easy five-and-a-half-length winner over fellow newcomer Blossom De Mai to suggest that she can hold her own at a much higher level.

Half an hour later it was the turn of another newcomer, the Luke McMahon-owned Old Bill Barley, in the bumper for colts and geldings. A five-year-old son of Apsis out of a half-sister to the dual French classic winner Brametot, Old Bill Barley picked up nicely for Patrick Mullins to strike the front inside the last quarter of a mile and he got home by a length and a half from chief market rival Caldwell Diamond.

The evens favourite is likely to stay going for the summer and should have an industrious few months ahead of him.