HAVING tasted success twice in Britain, Gerald Quinn had a day to savour last Saturday at Navan where he saddled his first winner in Ireland, the Philip McBurney-owned Invictus World, who landed the bumper by half a length.

Amateur Noel McParlan was on board the French-bred four-year-old, as he was when the bay son of Nicaron finished fourth and then second at Perth on his only two previous starts.

“We’ve always thought a lot of him,” said Broughshane-based McBurney. “He’s a lovely horse and had decent form.”

On the level, Andy Oliver sent out Francis Campbell’s Betterdaysrcoming to justify favouritism in the seven-furlong auction maiden for two-year-olds at Naas on Thursday week last.

The Muhaarar colt, who has only once been out of the first three in six starts, holds an entry in the series final at the Co Kildare track on Sunday, October 16th.

One of the many horses not to have done me any favours on this year’s Nap Table, the Keith Watson-trained Pillar won a division of the six-furlong handicap at Fairyhouse on Monday.

Carrying the colours of Sean Gallagher and ridden by Seamie Heffernan, the nine-year-old Rock Of Gibraltar gelding scored by a short head.

OWNER Pat Sloan had three runners win in her colours this week with the Gordon Elliott-trained, Davy Russell-ridden Pats Choice initiating the treble when making all to land division one of the opening two-mile maiden hurdle at Navan on Saturday.

The five-year-old Getaway gelding, who was sent off as the 2/1 favourite, had finished second in each of his five previous starts, this sequence commencing in a bumper at Down Royal in late January when he was ridden by Jamie Codd.

Pats Choice was purchased for €170,000 as a three-year-old at the 2020 Tattersalls Derby Sale by Kevin Ross Bloodstock.

At the same sale, the same agency gave €50,000 for the Sloans’ Run For Pat who won the three-mile maiden hurdle at Listowel on Sunday for Elliott and Russell on his ninth career start which have all been over hurdles.

The owner’s treble came up on Wednesday at Perth where the Ross-purchased Curious Times, who was partnered by James Bowen, landed the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle for the Stuart Crawford yard.

Prairie success

Other northern owners had winners at Listowel this week including Sean Sweeney and Kieran O’Hare whose Joseph O’Brien-trained Prairie Dancer landed the Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle for four-year-olds on Monday.

Bred by Sweeney, the Territories gelding is out of the Galileo mare Polka Dot who was purchased for the Rostrevor breeder by Burren’s Ronan Fitzpatrick.

A full-sister to Prairie Dancer, who has now notched up six wins, was sold for €26,000 this week at Tattersalls Ireland’s September Yearling Sale.

In partnership with Ciaran Conroy, Dean Harron bred the four-year-old Mastercraftsman gelding Circuit Elite who won a nine-furlong handicap at Happy Valley, Hong Kong on Wednesday.