LE MALIN (3/1 - 5/2) needed to win the open to qualify for the Foxhunters at Cheltenham next month and he delivered in style, coming home 11 lengths to the good under Noel McParlan for his father Seán.

After getting within half-a-length of Billaway at Naas recently, the French-bred Martaline gelding was registering a deserved first success since arriving in Ireland.

Having led and disputed from flag fall, he gained an outright advantage on the approach to two out and quickly stamped his authority on proceedings.

Successful at Bellharbour earlier this month, Somptueux was sent off favourite but couldn’t match the winner in the straight and had to settle for second.

“He had to win today to qualify for the Foxhunters and it’ll be nice to get a trip to Cheltenham. He won’t be disgraced in it,” McParlan senior, who also owns the winner, revealed.

“It took us three-and-a-half hours to get here but it’ll be a short run home now!”

Either Or (7/4 – 3/1) also benefitted from positive tactics, as she made all in the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden, providing Robert Tector with his second success of the season.

Sent straight to the front by Liam Gilligan, the Affinisea bay was ridden and pressed before the last but kept on gamely for pressure on the run-in, seeing off the effort of newcomer What A Flirth by half-a-length.

“She is a good solid mare and Liam was very good on her,” owner/trainer Tector, who is based in Rathnure, Co Wexford, commented.

“Liam went out in front and made use of her jumping. She was tough, picked up at the back of the second last and went on again. Hopefully she’ll be sold now. I mainly do pre-training but have around ten for point-to-points.”

There was no shortage of drama in the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden, with Lady Balko (4/1) running out a fortuitous winner under Brian Lawless.

Champersinthepark (9/4 – 6/4 favourite) looked set to score on the run to the last, but she crashed out there, bringing down Mozzies Sister, her nearest pursuer, in the process.

This left Lady Balko and Main Stage to battle out the finish, with the former staying on best in the closing stages to prevail by half-a-length.

Matthew Flynn O’Connor owns and trains the winner and he said in the aftermath: “You need a bit of luck sometimes.

“She is a grand mare. My lot have been sick for the last couple of weeks, so it’s just been a case of trial and error with them.

“We’ve liked her all along and Brian just said it turned into a bit of a sprint. She was bought at the Tattersalls May Store Sale and she’ll head back to the sales now.”

Intrepide Sivola scores for O’Connor and Holden team

A FORMIDABLE team in the point-to-point sphere, Derek O’Connor and Ellmarie Holden combined to take the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Intrepide Sivola, the first leg of a brace for the 11-time champion rider.

A €58,000 purchase at the Goffs Land Rover Sale, the French bred was sent off a 5/2 joint-favourite in the colours of Holden’s mother Catherine.

Given a well-timed ride, the Noroit grey came through to lead before the last and kept on well from there to prevail by two lengths.

Ballyfort came from well off the pace to take second, while newcomer We Got Your Back crashed out two fences from home when still in front.

“He took a little bit of time but we didn’t want to rush him,” the winning handler remarked.

“We’ve always thought plenty of him. He was unlucky the first day when he just got pushed out through a wing. He’ll probably be sold now.”

O’Connor doubled his tally aboard Hobie (2/1 – 5/2 joint-favourite) for his brother Paurick and the Three Dudes Syndicate in the concluding six-year-old and upwards maiden.

A brother to Ittack Blue, who was sold for £310,000 after winning on debut last May, he was given a patient ride, coming from off the pace to lead before the last, going on to score by five lengths.

Greyrobin Star crashed out at the final fence when destined for second, leaving Burtown to fill the runner-up berth.

“I bought him off of Michael Browne,” the successful handler divulged. “He is a grand horse but just needed a bit of nicer ground. He is for sale and should win a bumper.”

Ben and Jenny claim victory in the four-year-old maiden with Bill Joyce

THE four-year-old geldings’ maiden went the way of Bill Joyce (6/1 – 7/1) for the husband-and-wife team of Benny and Jenny Walsh.

The winning margin was again half-a-length in this 12-runner affair which was run at a faster pace than the opening contest.

Having raced in second under Tiernan Power-Roche, the Mahler victor improved to lead before four out and kept on well when ridden from the second last, holding off the effort of Express Surprise on the run-in.

“Walter Kent bought him and he was going to go for the Derby Sale but missed it because he got a bit of a niggle,” Jenny Walsh stated.

“He was supposed to go back for the July Sale but missed that as well. Thankfully for us he missed those sales because we got a half share in him then and the rest is history.

“We do have a lot of nice ones in the yard but this fella is hopefully the real deal.”

Horse to Follow

Champersinthepark (C. Bowe): Sent off a well-supported favourite, the Walk In The Park bay appeared to have matters under control when crashing out at the last. While taking a heavy fall, she should have little difficulty in making up for this mishap in the coming weeks.