GRAHAM McKeever has enjoyed great success in open company in previous years, memories of Chosen Dream and Balnaslow come to mind, and he added to his tally with January Jets (5/4 - 2/1), a horse that looks to have been rejuvenated by McKeever, as he stylishly landed the open.

Recently acquired by owner Shane Wilson for £22,000 at the Goffs UK September Sale, the former Henry de Bromhead-trained dual track winner, was never far off the pace under a confident Derek O’Connor, and the pair made smooth progress to lead after the third last, as challengers remained on all sides.

With the persistent Bajan Excell sneaking up on his inner and Welsh Saint looming on his outer, an extra gear was needed to prevail.

A three-way charge to the last developed, and only after the last did the gelding really respond to O’Connor’s urgings, easing clear on the flat, always holding off the late effort of Colin McBratney’s gamble Welsh Saint.

“Graham [McKeever] has really rejuvenated him here. That has impressed me and I’m over the moon for the team, he found plenty for pressure and will improve again,” O’Connor said on what was his third winner of the season.

“The long-term aim is to have a horse good enough to compete in the Foxhunters at Aintree. We think this lad has the right credentials to do so.”

Barry O’Neill’s ninth winner this season came courtesy of Ferns Lock (5/4 - 1/1 favourite) in the winners-of-one contest.

Stamped his class

Acquired for £60,000 by David Christie on behalf of Ray Nicholas and Dr Sam Campbell, the son of Telescope stamped his class on the race from an early stage to record a facile 13-length victory over Ballymagee.

Connections had also enjoyed success in the same division at Loughanmore a week earlier with Ultimate Optimist and this former Peter Flood maiden winner looks likely to now also climb the ranks within the winners division this year.

“To be honest with you, the run the last day was just a bit messy, two runner races can get like that. He is a horse with a big engine, and we will keep the point-to-point route,” winning rider Barry O’Neill said.

“We got him from Peter Flood, David [Christie] really liked him at the sales and Peter said he was good. He will have a big future in this game and a winners-of-two is the next aim.”

The Monbeg team have another exciting type on their hands with Hello Marie (1/2 - 4/7 favourite) who scooted away from the only rival that remained running in the five-year-old and upwards maiden, leading from pillar to post.

The strapping daughter of Network was aided by a strong round of jumping under Rob James as she defeated Finding Fame by four lengths for Donnchadh Doyle.

“She is a lovely mare, she was quite weak as a four-year-old and now she is a super mare to head to the track with,” Eamonn Doyle, brother of the winning handler, said.

“I think she will be good enough to win a bumper, she ticks all the right boxes, and she is one too look forward to.”

Ask Anything has all the answers

WEXFORD handler Michael Murphy got off the mark with a gutsy performance from Ask Anything (6/1 - 8/1) in the opening four-year-old maiden to preserve Darragh Higgins’ 100% strike rate for the season.

The Ask gelding was never far off the pace and he showed a likeable attitude as although headed by Clovis Island and two lengths behind in second before the last, he really knuckled down under Higgins on the flat, gamely finding under pressure to collar the runner-up on the line.

“I bought him as a foal at Goffs. He has been showing us a lot at home, so we were expecting a big run here” Murphy said of the Redbridge Stables-owned four-year-old following his narrow victory.

Class of his own

Forcing Bull (5/2 - 3/1 favourite) was in a class of his own in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, a race that was sponsored by winning owner Wilson Dennison.

The gelding had shown ability when third at Corbeagh House last December when a fair third to the now three-time track winner So Scottish, and while he had not repeated that performance in three starts since, a decision to race from the front here was richly rewarded.

Setting a brisk early pace, the strapping son of Papal Bull always looked in command, only briefly seeing a rival at the second last, then finding an extra gear to go on again into a five-length lead. Colin McKeever’s charge put distance from himself and the field, with a tidy jump sealing a 10-length success over Ryehill.

“He is a lovely sort who jumps very well. I personally think his ideal trip is over two miles, and I believe he will do very well when he goes to the track,” Dennison said.

IT was a family affair in the last, as Grain De Folie (6/4 - 5/4 favourite) struck for brothers Anthony and Martin Fox in the six-year-old and upwards maiden.

The betting market spoke volumes of what he was expected to deliver and he more than fulfilled their expectations on his return to the pointing fields since finishing second in a Stradbally four-year-old maiden in December 2020.

The son of Balko couldn’t have been any more impressive as he carried the silks of Ergo Ventures Limited to a four-length defeat of Highstreetfashion.

“We thought he was definitely the horse to beat, it was just whether he settled during the race, as he hasn’t been easy to train for Martin. He was a pleasure to ride there, and he hasn’t seen another rival,” Anthony Fox said.

Horse To Follow

Daring Plan (Michael Goff): This son of Mount Nelson was travelling ominously well to the fourth last when exiting while in front. He looks a smart prospect for the Goff team.