DIOL Ker headed a cracking day for Noel Meade, Sean Flanagan and Gigginstown House Stud as he broke his maiden over fences by edging out former Stayers’ Hurdle runner-up Ronald Pump in the €100,000 Baroneracing.com Leinster National Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old son of Martaline’s fourth in the Thyestes at Gowran Park a couple of months ago suggested that a high-profile success wasn’t too far away.

In a great finish to this three-mile race, a host of horses were still in with some sort of chance turning for home but after two out the leaders thinned out to leave the Sean Flanagan-ridden Diol Ker battling with Ronald Pump.

To his credit the latter left it all out on the track as he held a narrow lead at the last and gave his all to remain in front, but in the closing strides he succumbed to Meade’s charge to lose out by half a length.

Dour stayer

With Meade already in Cheltenham it was left to Flanagan to comment: “He’s a fine big horse but he takes a bit of riding.

“He’s a dour stayer and the slower the ground is the better for him. When we got a bit tight for room at the third last, I decided to take my time and give him a bit of a breather.

“He’s come home well because of it.”

Highland charges

Earlier the same combination came out the right side of another tight finish as recent course-and-distance maiden hur dle winner Highland Charge bagged the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle.

The victorious 10/1 shot and the lightly raced Vina Ardanza served up a fine finish from the last and Highland Charge dug deep to score by a head, with the 138-rated Slip Of The Tongue two and a quarter lengths away in third. The first two came together in the closing stages but an enquiry left the placings unchanged.

“He was good here the last day in what was a nice enough maiden and the slower ground today was a big help to him. He’s a lovely horse,” declared Flanagan.

McCrory’s first track win with Delvino

TYRONE-based trainer Mark McCrory registered his first winner on the track in some style as Delvino landed the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Directors Plate Novice Chase.

A talented sort who had previously won a bumper and a maiden hurdle, Delvino lined up as a two-race maiden over fences but one of those efforts yielded a good fourth to Capodanno in a smart beginners’ chase here in December. That meant that the Tilly Conway-owned daughter of Dylan Thomas wasn’t out of the reckoning in a four-runner edition of this two-and-a-half-mile affair.

For most of the race Richie Deegan took a lead from Jeremys Flame and Lifetime Ambition before his mount loomed up travelling best of all with two fences to jump. It wasn’t long before Delvino (9/2) was showing in front and she then dug deep on the run-in to contain Lifetime Ambition by three-quarters of a length. There was some 28 lengths back to Jeremys Flame.

“That’s my first winner and for it to be in a Grade 3 I’m over the moon. I’ve been with the owners in and out for nearly seven years now and rode a winner at Down Royal for them on El Grande (in 2016). I started off in Stephen McConville’s when I was younger and rode a winner on the track and in a point-to-point,” exclaimed the thrilled trainer.

Mighty Macs

The progressive Macs Charm made it three wins on the spin in the Bar One Racing Sign Up Offer Handicap Hurdle over just short of two and a half miles.

The seven-year-old had crept up 21lb in the weights for his last two victories but he coped admirably with his revised mark. The freewheeling front-runner Mix Tiara made this quite a test and she had most of the field burnt off turning for home.

However, she was running on empty at the last and was soon picked off by the Brian Hayes-ridden Macs Charm who went on to defeat the staying-on Festival D’Ex by just under five lengths. A deserved appearance at one of the major spring festivals could be on the cards for Colm Murphy’s charge who was returned the 9/4 favourite.

Robert Tyner’s impressive season took another turn for the better when Better Times Ahead justified his position as the 2/1 favourite in the Bar One-sponsored 80-102 rated handicap hurdle over just short of two miles. Mark Walsh’s mount had to be quick at the last flight to match strides with Kashi and he wasn’t found wanting before pulling out that bit more in the last 100 yards to get home by two and a quarter lengths. After just five outings this J.P. McManus-owned son of Walk In The Park should progress .

GORDON Elliott rounded off a good weekend with a double here to go with his treble at Navan the previous afternoon. The trainer’s brace was completed in the Bar One-sponsored mares’ bumper where the Tim O’Driscoll-owned Liberty Dance reappeared following her somewhat unlucky third in a Grade 2 bumper at Leopardstown last month.

The 1/5 favourite had to work somewhat for this success as Saratoga Lass proved a tenacious rival, but Liberty Dance was just too strong inside the distance and moved on to prevail by just under four lengths.

“She was entitled to win on that Leopardstown run. There’s a couple of nice mares’ bumpers at Fairyhouse and Punchestown next month and we might take in one of those before leaving her off for the season,” stated Elliott.

Bouncing Jack

The trainer was earlier successful with the Davy Russell-ridden Jack In The Box (11/4) in the Bar One-sponsored maiden hurdle over two miles, three furlongs.

The first-time blinkered 40/1 chance Kilbree Warrior gave this a great go from the front and had the field at full stretch turning for home.

However, she could not fend off the Sue and Geraldine Magnier-owned son of Solider Of Fortune who got on top after the last to score by three lengths.

“It’s only his third run and I think with another summer behind him he will be a lovely hose next year,” declared Elliott.