SUNDAY

  • Empire Of Dirt won the Grade A Coral.ie Leopardstown Handicap Chase over two miles, five furlongs. It is a second big win over fences for the Colm Murphy-trained nine-year-old and his third blacktype success overall. He was bred by Sean Harnedy, he is a son of Castle Hyde Stud stallion Westerner (by Danehill) and he is a half-brother to the blacktype chase scorer Panther Claw (by Old Vic). His dam is the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle winner Rose of Inchiquin (by Roselier).

    I reviewed Empire Of Dirt's pedigree in detail in the 28th February 2015 edition of The Irish Field.

  • Killultagh Vic won the Grade 2 “Money Back On Fallers” At Coral.ie Novice Chase over two miles, three furlongs at Leopardstown. The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old is now two-for-two over fences. The son of late Sunnyhill Stud ace Old Vic (by Sadler's Wells) is a half-brother to the blacktype-placed prolific mare Lily Waugh (by King's Theatre) and his dam Killultagh Dawn (by Phardante) is a half-sister to the Grade A Dan Moore Chase scorer Killultagh Storm (by Mandalus). He was bred by Frank Boyd.

  • Henry Higgins notched up his first blacktype success when springing a 16/1 surprise in the Grade B Coral.ie Hurdle over two miles at Leopardstown. The dual-purpose gelding is trained by Charles O'Brien, he was bred by Glending Bloodstock, and he is a son of the late Garryrichard Stud stallion Jeremy (by Danehill Dancer). His dam Moonchild (by Acatenango) is a full-sister to the stakes winner Mendosino and half-sister to listed scorer Minaccia (by Platini), his grandam Majoritat (by Konigsstuhl) won the Group 2 Preis der Diana (German Oaks), and the string of notable winners in the family also include the Group 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) hero Eishin Flash (by King's Best).

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    SATURDAY

  • Roi Des Francs won the Grade 2 Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase over three miles at Naas, a second win from three starts over fences for the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old. Bred by Ecurie Maulepaire, the son of Haras d'Etreham's excellent dual-purpose sire Poliglote (by Sadler's Wells) is out of Grand Souveraine (by Sillery), a half-sister to the Grade 1-winning French chaser Polivalente (by Poliglote).

  • Sempre Medici won the Grade 3 Limestone Lad Hurdle over two miles, three furlongs at Naas, a third win from eight starts over obstacles for the now dual graded scorer. The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old is a son of Cheveley Park Stud stallion Medicean (by Machiavellian), he is a half-brother to the Group 3 Queen's Vase third Ed De Gas (by Peintre Celebre), and his dam Sambala (by Danehill Dancer) comes from a branch of the famous family whose Group 1 stars include Chief Contender (by Sadler's Wells), Spinning World (by Nureyev), Chimes Of Freedom (by Private Account) and Aldebaran (by Mr Prospector).

  • Russe Blanc won the Grade 3 Betfred Classic Chase over three miles, five furlongs at Warwick. The Kerry Lee-trained nine-year-old, who is registered as white, is a son of Machiavellian Tsar (by Machiavellian) and he is a full-brother to the multiple flat scorer Far Far Away. He was bred in France by the partnership of B De La Motte Saint-Pierre and Jean-Francois Lambert.

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    THURSDAY

  • Don Cossack took his record over fences to 11 wins from 18 starts with an odds-on success in the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Ireland Kinloch Brae Chase over two and a half miles at Thurles. The Gordon Elliot-trained nine-year-old, who was bred in Germany by Gestut Etzean, is a son of Glenview Stud's classic-placed Group 1 winner Sholokhov (by Sadler's Wells). His flat-winning dam Depeche Toi (by Konigsstuhl) is a half-sister to the classic-placed German stakes winner Dapprima (by Shareef Dancer).

  • Aunt Nora won the Grade 2 Ocavango Coolmore National Hunt Sires European Breeders Fund Mares Novice Chase over two and a half miles at Thurles, a first blacktype success for the Pat Fahy-trained daughter over Overbury Stud stallion Kayf Tara (by Sadler's Wells). She was bred by Fintan Kealy, she is a half-sister to the Grade A Pierse Hurdle scorer Dromlease Express (by Fourstars Allstar), and her dam Niat Supreme (by Supreme Leader) is a bumper-winning full-sister to the three-mile hurdles scorer Garryduff Supreme.