IT was an evening to savour for former jockey Cian Collins who recorded his first success on the track as a trainer when the teak-tough Effernock Fizz bagged the Grade B Larkin’s Bar & Francie Sheahan’s Bar Handicap Hurdle.

Now a winner of seven of her 65 career outings, the Tommy Sheridan-owned and -bred daughter of Lovelace adopted her habitual position at the head of the field and was never headed.

The seven-year-old never got away from her rivals with the result that plenty still had chances leaving the backstraight, but one by one they gave way.

Effernock Fizz (13/2) maintained a relentless tempo for Darragh O’Keeffe at all stages and got home by four lengths from the 7/2 favourite Outback Flyer.

“It’s great to get my first one the track, and she got a super ride from Darragh,” remarked Collins, whose riding career was cut short when he broke his back in a fall at Limerick in April 2017.

“She stays very well and she’s very tough. I’ve about 30 horses and am based between Trim and Navan. Most of them would be young horses for next year.”

Double

Back at the track where he rode his first winner, O’Keeffe went on to record a double as Carnet De Stage (12/1) struck for Eugene O’Sullivan in the 0-109 rated Kelly Foley O’Connor Pyne Handicap Chase over two and a half miles.

The Tyson Syndicate-owned seven-year-old took charge of this race some way from home and held the staying-on Filon D’Oudairies by half a length.

Dads completes Mullins double

A GOOD evening for Willie Mullins yielded an across the card four-timer at the two fixtures last Friday and his double here was completed by Dads Lad in the 0-130 Bunkers Bar & Restaurant Handicap Chase over an extended two miles.

Fresh from a flat success at the Galway Festival having previously won over fences at Limerick, the Brian Hayes-ridden and Whitegrass Racing Syndicate-owned 6/4 favourite won nicely.

He came through on the inside of Jack Holiday to lead before the last and went on to record a smooth eight-length triumph in the manner of one who could land a good prize over the coming months. Dads Lad was winning his fifth race in 10 months.

“He was always a very good work horse but was disappointing on the track. He has got his confidence now and chasing seems to have improved him,” remarked Patrick Mullins.

Cheap horses

“Brian gets on brilliant with him and for a cheap horse, he has now won five in a year. It’s great as he handles soft ground as well. We might have the option of going back over hurdles from bottom weight and there might be another race like this for him at Listowel.”

The Mullins-trained Jon Snow, whose last win came in the novice hurdle on this card two years ago, struck again in the Dan Tim & Sheila O’Sullivan & Family Beginners Chase over two miles and seven furlongs.

The seven-year-old had been restricted to just three runs since that last triumph but came here off an encouraging third to Enniskerry at Galway and took advantage of an easier assignment.

The 11/10 favourite raced on the pace throughout for Sean O’Keeffe and was in control from the second last en route to a two-and-a-half-length victory over Oscar Academy.

“He jumped really well today, that trip suits him and while he can be a bit big jumping, that trip gives him plenty time and he picked up nicely after the last. The experience gained at Galway stood to him,” declared O’Keeffe of the Susannah Ricci-owned seven-year-old.

Upstaged

The champion trainer supplied the favourite Polo Lounge in the KWD Recycling Flat Race but that one was upstaged by the 33/1 shot Next Week who gave jockey Adam Ryan his first winner on the track.

Andy Slattery’s charge wasn’t disgraced on his debut in a Roscommon bumper earlier in the month and he built on that in likeable fashion.

The Joe Bolger-owned son of French Navy was pressing the favourite for the lead from early in the straight and got on top over the course of the last furlong to score by a length and a half.

The 18-year-old rider is from Killenaule and was adding this victory to a pair of point-to-point successes.

“He ran well in Roscommon and with natural progression we thought we’d be placed. To win was a little surprise but he had been working well and doing everything well. It’s great for his owner, Joe, who is new to the yard and came to us a couple of months ago,” reported the trainer’s brother Brian.

Rexem makes it three from four

THE useful Rexem made it three wins from his last four starts with a commanding effort in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle over just short of three miles.

Ben Harvey was on board the John McConnell inmate who turned in a performance in keeping with his position as the evens favourite.

The Derek Kierans-owned gelding, who won a Downpatrick maiden hurdle last time, was untroubled up front throughout the race and had this race in safe keeping from early in the straight, eventually coming home five lengths clear of Toss Again.

Gavin Cromwell’s Pepsiwithacap got off the mark on her third outing over timber in the Irish Examiner 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle which she added to the seven-furlong nursery she won at Dundalk in December.

Best effort

The winner made her debut here last month before finishing second at Uttoxeter just over a week later and she produced her best effort to date after making most of the running under Sean Flanagan.

The Go Again Racing Club-owned filly got the last flight all wrong but recovered well to hold off the 5/4 favourite, Aghaboy, by a neck.

“The plan was to get a lead but I jumped the first well and got left in front and she was quite lairy and didn’t jump as well as she did on her first two runs which I’d put down to being in front. She stayed going well from the last,” stated the rider.

There was another mild surprise in the Owens McCarthy Claims Handicap Chase where Meehall struck for Eric McNamara and Cathal Landers.

The 14/1 chance lined up as a 13-race maiden but had filled the runner-up spot in handicaps at Limerick and Wexford earlier in the summer.

The Michael Dolan-owned gelding made the running in this 0-102 rated contest over just short of three miles and overcame some ragged jumping in the straight to prevail by two and a quarter lengths.