GAVIN Cromwell has done very well with the horses he has acquired from other yards for owner Derek Kierans and the pair combined for their biggest success yet when Hartur D’arc (4/1) was a smooth winner of the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Leinster National at Naas on Sunday.

The seven-year-old gelding had a nice, unexposed profile coming into this contest, having won impressively on his first start for Cromwell at Clonmel but he had to prove he stayed this three-mile trip. Aided by a slick round of jumping, he did just that, travelling smoothly up to the leaders in the hands of Sean Flanagan and when push came to shove, he had enough to repel the challenge of Positive Thinker on the run in.

“That was nice,” Cromwell said. “We weren’t really sure whether he’d stay but obviously when we pitched him in here we thought he might.

“He gave him a nice ride and everything happened for him. It was a lovely pot to win. You’d have to consider the Irish National with him, I know it’s a lot further but we’ll see.”

Raglan Road (11/2) was one leg of a timely across-the-card treble for Henry de Bromhead. The J.P. McManus-owned gelding was getting off the mark at the sixth time of asking in a two-mile-three-furlong handicap hurdle, racing prominently for Rachael Blackmore, and staying strongly up the inside in the straight to see off the challenge of Oliver McKiernan’s mare Kilbree Warrior.

McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry said: “It was workmanlike, I thought the second was going to be hard to get past.

“It took a while for the penny to drop jumping-wise but he’s getting the hang of it now. We’ll stick to races like that for the time being with him.

“He had a few nice runs in maidens and then disappointed a little bit, maybe the ground at Gowran was a bit too heavy for him. It was nice there, he got a grand run around and she gave him a lovely ride.

“He was tough to get by the leader, when she’s on song that mare takes a bit of pegging back.”

FUN Fun Fun (9/4) booked her ticket to the Grade 1 Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse with an impressive all the way win in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing “Guaranteed Multiples Overnight Prices” Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle, the highlight of a Willie Mullins treble at Naas on Sunday.

The Isaac Souede and Simon Munir-owned mare always looked content in front and by the time she reached the second last, she had all of her rivals, including stablemate and hot favourite Mirazur West, in trouble. She eased way in fine style from here for Paul Townend, holding a six-and-a-half-length advantage over Mahon’s Way at the line.

Assistant trainer and breeder Patrick Mullins said: “That was super. The race suited her, a quick enough two miles, and she jumped great, a little bit keen.

“She’ll go to Fairyhouse next, I don’t know if two and a half miles there will really suit her but it’s a Grade 1 for novice mares so she’ll go there. I can’t wait for her to go chasing next year, her pedigree is all staying chasers. I think when she goes over fences she might be able to go out in trip.”

Townend and Mullins kicked off their treble with Olympic Man (evens favourite), who also made all, overcoming a shoddy round of jumping to win by 15 lengths from Don Chalant and Musta Lovea Lovea.

The Audrey Turley-owned seven-year-old hadn’t ran since he got turned over at odds of 2/5 in a Galway maiden hurdle in October but clearly has a big engine and scope to improve significantly if he can sort out his jumping.

“It showed that Willie is getting a good run at training him now when he could put in that performance while jumping (like that),” said the winning rider. “The first day (he ran) it was just good to get him on the track but it was disappointing he didn’t back it up the second day.

“He just felt a different horse now that he’s getting a good run at him and he can train him, it makes a difference. He can jump, he has a load of it done. Anytime I wanted him to stand out he wanted to do his own thing.”

Tactical Move (1/2 favourite) completed the Mullins-Townend treble in somewhat similar fashion, jumping poorly, mostly out to his left and ultimately he was workmanlike in taking the Bar One Racing “Extra Places At Cheltenham” Directors Plate Novice Chase.

The Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned gelding has a unique profile, as a 10-year-old novice chaser, having had to bridge a 1,158-day gap when he returned to action last season. His task was a made a lot easier by the first fence fall of Flanking Maneuver here, and while Jumping Jet got close to him in the straight, Townend always looked like he had enough in reserve on the near side rail.

“He’s won but he jumped average for him, I was really looking forward to riding him to be honest but I never really go into a rhythm on him,” the winning rider said. “He wanted to go left everywhere. Looking at it, it might have looked closer up the straight but I was always comfortable.”

PHILIP Dempsey and Keith Donoghue combined to win both divisions of the extended one-mile-seven-furlong handicap hurdle, starting with Hillsdale (11/2), who made all.

The Brian Pierce-owned five-year-old is said to be a quirky individual, and was held together by Donoghue in front in the straight. His task was made easier by the falls of the chasing Astrophysicist and Verbal Sparring at the last, and from here he kept on to deny the consistent Ricky Bobby by two lengths.

“The last day (racing at this track) he looked home and hosed, he’s a quirky fella,” said Dempsey. “He’s very difficult, he’s not for young lads to ride out or anything. Keith did a great job with him. He ran away the last day but I’d say the ground was a lot heavier in Fairyhouse.

“I’m delighted with the way he battled there, it’s great. “We’ll try him again and he’ll go chasing next year, he’s a big horse. “The owner (Brian Pierce) isn’t here, he’s a good supporter of ours.”

In the second division, Quornafamonday (4/1) went one better than his previous run at this track when he was a strong-staying winner of the second division of the extended one-mile-seven-furlong handicap hurdle for Philip Dempsey and Keith Donoghue.

Racing up in the van for most of the way in what appeared to be a strongly-run contest, Donoghue always looked comfortable on the L S M Syndicate-owned six-year-old who was in front turning into the straight and maintained a six-and-a-half-length advantage over Chosen Shant.

“It was great, he deserved that as he was knocking on the door,” said Dempsey. “It’s a good bunch of lads that have him, for Clogherhead. They bought him off Keith’s brother (Ian) who trained him for his point-to-point.

“He was only a shell of a horse last year. He’s been backing up a couple of runs there and I’d say that ground was good for him, not quite heavy, more in between. He’s a big horse, he was second in his point-to-point and took a bit of time.”

Yet another to benefit from racing prominently on the card was the mares’ bumper winner Familiar Dreams (17/2) who won again for Anthony McCann and Aine O’Connor.

The five-year-old mare, owned by the All Four Counties Syndicate, made all, picking up well in the straight when challenged, and ultimately three and a half lengths too good for Sixandahalf. The daughter of Postponed was backing up a win on heavy ground at Cork and her trainer wasn’t lacking in confidence.

“I couldn’t believe the price she was this morning, the bookies didn’t rate her at all,” McCann said. “She worked very well last week and we were very happy to come here. We might give her a chance in the mares’ bumper at Fairyhouse. It’s in 20 days time and it looked like she didn’t have too hard of a race there, I know the ground will probably pull a wee bit out of her so we’ll see.

“She’ll go jumping if she’s not sold, but it could be hard to keep her now. She’s a nice mare, she’s still only five and she’s a big mare.”