THE Sam Curling-handled Alonegamongmillions (7/2) was the star turn at last Sunday’s Tipperary Harriers fixture at Turtulla when running out a taking winner of the featured open lightweight.

Initiating a double for Pa King, the Tessa Foreman-owned gelding, who was returning from a 350-day absence, stretched clear in the home straight to beat recent Down Royal hunter chase runner-up Er Dancer by three lengths.

Curling, also on the mark at Carrigarostig, revealed: “He’s just a very good horse with a big engine. Pa felt he might have needed it a shade. We have the Tetratema Cup at Gowran Park in mind for him again as he won that in 2020 but we might look at Bellharbour en route.”

Pa King maintained his near 25% strike-rate for the season as the Garrett Power-trained Mahler Appeal (4/1 joint-favourite) justified his position at the top of the market in the second divide of the six-year-old and upwards geldings maiden.

The bay, who is shared by a partnership comprising Ger Langan, Dick Gahan and Seán Maher, is set to go handicap hurdling following a facile 15-length triumph over Champagne Trail in a contest which saw only six obstacles jumped owing to the low-lying sun.

“This is a lovely horse. He ran a super race in Boulta when third and was unlucky last time at Ballindenisk. He’s rated 86 over hurdles so that’s probably where we will turn our intentions now,” said Power.

Too good

The Rob James-ridden and trained Top Of The List (2/1 - 5/2 favourite) denied King a treble when proving much too good for his mount Imperial Tune in the opening split of the same contest. James enjoyed an armchair ride aboard the Shirocco-sired Top Of The List who eased to the front three from home for a very comfortable six-length success.

“This lad’s work has always shown us he’s a good horse. We’ve had him since he was a four-year-old but had a couple of small hold-ups with him,” outlined James. “He’ll go for a winners’ race now if he’s not sold.”

On an afternoon which saw 50 different riders partake on the eight-race card, of which 12 were women, Welsh-native Síoned Whittle was another lady rider to make her mark when guiding her employer Aidan Fitzgerald’s Garm Colombe (3/1 - 5/1) to victory in the winner-of-one contest.

Following up a victory at Moira in October, Garm Colombe, who carries the colours of Ashling Daly, led from an early stage on the final circuit and showed good battling qualities to repel the persistent effort of Moral Of The Story by a length.

A beaming Whittle remarked: “I’ve luckily had a couple of winners on the track in the UK, but to win on my first ride in Ireland is great. I can’t take any of the credit however as I only started working for Aidan last week. It was my birthday this past Friday too, so it’s been a great weekend all round!”

TEN went to post in each division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with victory in the first divide going to the Jamie Scallan-steered Great Name That (3/1 joint-favourite).

Having pulled up on his debut at Dromahane, the Sean Doyle-handled son of Flemensfirth looked an entirely different proposition as the Monbeg Partnership owned gelding bounded clear from three out to comfortably dismiss Val Dancer by eight lengths.

“That was a great performance and even though he pulled up last time we were very hopeful as he showed us a lot at home.

“Rob (James) looked after him when he couldn’t handle the bad ground the last day and it was the difference today as he was fresh. He’s one we like a lot and he’ll be sold now,” disclosed Doyle.

Val Dancer’s connections Michael Murphy and Dan Nevin similarly had to settle for the runner-up berth in the second half of the same race as their representative Jet Marshall could not get to grips with local handler Pat Doyle’s Theformismighty (3/1 - 4/1).

Partnered by the winning handler’s daughter Susie, who for good measure also jointly owns the Black Sam Bellamy-gelding, the bay only needed to be kept up to his work late-on to score on his second career start.

Lovely chaser

“This is a really good-looking horse who will make up into a lovely chaser. We felt he’d take a lot of beating today and he will head on to an upcoming sale now,” reflected Doyle of his €20,000 Derby Sale acquisition.

The six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden attracted the largest field of the day with 18 participants facing the starter.

Here, Cappajune Lady (5/1 - 7/1) shed her maiden tag at the 23rd attempt for Castletown-Geoghegan, Co Westmeath-handler Heather Kiernan, when asserting towards the business end to beat Miss Benjo by five lengths.

Sporting the silks of the victorious handler’s mother Ita, Cappajune Lady, who had been runner-up over course and distance in the autumn, was continuing the fine season of her rider Thomas Geoghegan.

MURRINTOWN, Co Wexford-handler Benny Walsh was on the scoresheet in the opening five-year-old mares’ maiden as last season’s Lisronagh-third Autumn Return (3/1 - 6/1) obliged on her second run of this campaign under Barry Stone.

Owned by the winning handler’s wife Jenny, Autumn Return went to the front on the swing to the home straight for the final time and the daughter of Fame And Glory saw it out well to account for the closing Springtime Promise by a length.

Walsh, who was sent the bay by the late Pat Coffey who purchased her as a foal, commented: “This lady is a great jumper and has a great cruising speed. We fancied her coming here today and thankfully she did the job. She’ll be sold now.”

Horse to follow

Imperial Tune (L. Casey) This son of Imperial Monarch once again shaped with a great deal of encouragement on his fifth run in this sphere when chasing home Top Of The List. A similar race should not be long in coming his way on the basis of his efforts to date.