ALLEGORIE De Vassy looked destined for big things when making a winning chasing debut in the Grade 2 McMahons Builders Provoders Irish EBF Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase for Willie Mullins and Sean O’Keeffe. The Rich Ricci owned five-year-old had her rivals in trouble two out, before staying on strongly to put 19 lengths between herself and runner up Malina Girl.

Winning jockey O’Keeffe reported: “I’m very happy with her and she is very enthusiastic about her job. She winged the first two fences, loves to get on with it, so I said I’d let her go along in front. I was trying to slow her down all the time really.

“She has a very big jump in her, has loads of scope and is a big mare. She was brave at the second-last but will have learned a bit jumping the last two fences and that will stand to her the next day. She put in a good round of jumping other than that.”

A good spin

Sean O’Keeffe had an afternoon to remember, as he also won the Grade B Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase on Maskada (5/1) for Henry De Bromhead. Owned by M K Mariga, the mare was making just her third start for the Co Waterford trainer. O’Keeffe said: “She was very unlucky the last day in Fairyhouse and Darragh (O’Keeffe) said she was going very well and told me about her. He told me she would be a good spin and should be bang there today.

“I wanted to get her settled in behind a few to get her to relax and in fairness she jumped very slick everywhere. Going to the second-last I thought I had them covered and she found a nice bit. It is a nice race to win, was a nice spare to get and I’m very grateful to Henry and the owners for letting me ride.”

EOIN McCarthy rarely leaves this track without a winner and his Tomjackwilliam landed a nice gamble for owner Eilish Geoghegan in the D Pack Packaging Handicap Hurdle. Available at 11/1 early, the gelding was backed down to 3/1f and duly obliged under jockey Gary Noonan.

McCarthy said: “We were confident, but he is a local horse so there was a lot of chat in the local village in the build-up, so thank God it came off! He stays more than quickens, so we made more use of him today and it told on that ground. He will be a lovely horse and is the second winner we’ve had this week by Dylan Thomas and I knew he’d like the ground. Hopefully he will be lucky for the owners.

“We have good owners and are starting to get a better quality of horse now. We are up around the 50-horse marker now but I don’t want it to become a factory operation - I want to up the quality.”

Stuck it out

Maidenstreetprince put his previous experience to good use when taking the opening Keith Lynch Memorial Maiden Hurdle. Members of the S Club Six Syndicate had plenty to celebrate as the 15/2 chance came home in front under Philip Byrnes.

Trainer Charles Byrnes was on hand to report: “He had a good run the last day (in third at Punchestown) and was getting a few pounds today. He was a bit free and there is still a bit of room for improvement in his jumping. He stuck it out well and getting the bit of weight, with the bumper allowance and the 5lb claim, was a help in that ground. We’ll go handicapping now.”

Kicked on

Eugene and Maxine O’Sullivan combined to win the CUBE Maiden Hurdle with Corbetts Cross (3/1). O’Sullivan, also the owner, said: “He is a lovely horse, won his point-to-point very impressively, but we took him to the sales and couldn’t sell him. He came back and then won his bumper and was a bit unlucky over hurdles the last day. If we had our time back, we might have kicked on earlier and the form is working out.

“He probably won’t be in my name the next time he runs, but we are delighted to have him. We have to survive in our game and that’s what it takes. Maxine gave him a great ride and it is brilliant for the yard.”

Battled on

Denis Hogan trained a winner for Liam Mulryan, when Young Dev battled on dourly to land the Harrison O’Dowd Solicitors Handicap Hurdle. Sent off 4/1f, the eight-year-old idled in front after the last but did enough to hold on. Hogan later reported; “He is very reliable, loves these conditions and loves Limerick.

“He takes a while to get going every year but, generally from here on he has his conditions and weather. Racing on autumn soft ground isn’t the same as proper Limerick winter ground and he comes into his own now.

“He was second in the Midlands National (at Uttoxeter) last year and will possibly go back there again. There aren’t many races to suit him over extreme distances with his rating, but he will go back there for that one.”

Big galloper

As is so often the case, Willie Mullins and Jody Townend sent favourite backers home smiling when Chosen Witness (5/6f) took the concluding Woodlands House Hotel Adare Flat Race sporting the colours of Monabeg Investments Limited.

Townend said: “That was mighty and like the fella yesterday (bumper winner Largy Hill) he is a big galloper. He surprised me how well he settled and I liked him when I went for him. He gave me a fair feeling when he quickened up and he galloped through the line.”