GORDON Elliott’s domination of the four-year-old division continued into this fixture as The Tide Turns (9/4) made a bright start over timber in the Hollywoodbets Bet 10 Get 20 Maiden Hurdle to set up a double for the trainer who needs just two more winners to reach the 100 mark for the domestic season.

A useful dual winner over a mile and a half for Sir Mark Prescott, the son of Sea The Moon took well to this new discipline in a race that got off to an eventful beginning with the two leaders departing at the first before the second favourite, Champion Green, pulled up nearing the fourth with a slipped saddle.

The Jack Kennedy-ridden winner was left in the front rank after the initial obstacle and jumped well before asserting as the runners rounded the last bend.

At the line, the Let’s Go Partnership-owned gelding had just under three lengths to spare over Hms Seahorse who had previously been beaten just over 15 lengths into third by Pied Piper in a maiden at this track.

“He’s a nice horse who will be able to go back on the flat too and good ground will be no problem to him,” reflected Elliott. “I thought he was professional and Jack felt he was in front plenty soon enough but you’d like what he did. The Winning Fair at Fairyhouse next month could be an option for him.”

Elliott added to his haul with Minella Crooner (2/5) in the Hollywood Bets Maiden Hurdle over three-miles.

Eye-catcher

The dual bumper winner was an eye-catcher on his debut over hurdles at Leopardstown last month when he was second to Journey With Me despite an indifferent round of jumping.

The David Barnard-owned son of Shantou turned in an appreciably better display of hurdling on this occasion and once Jack Kennedy asked him to assert on the run to the last he quickly brushed aside the 123-rated Eye Van to score by 11 lengths.

“He doesn’t do anything fancy at home but he’s a nice horse I’d say. His first run over hurdles was a good one and he jumped much better today which was good to see. This trip suits him and he might be one for the Grade 3 novice hurdle at Clonmel in the middle of next month,” declared Elliott.

GAVIN Cromwell has a capable mare on his hands in Limerick Lace (11/8) who delivered on the promise of her second to Brandy Love at Naas last month by landing the Hollywoodbets-sponsored mares’ maiden hurdle over two and a half miles.

A winner of a point-to-point bumper at this track on her debut last March, the J.P. McManus-owned mare found herself in a pocket after two out but an opening duly arrived for a patient Mark Walsh in the straight and his mount took advantage.

She picked up to head the 113-rated Broomfield Hall before the last and went on to record an assured three-and-a-half-length victory.

“She’s a lovely, big mare and the way she jumps hurdles she could make a nice chaser in time. She’ll stay further in time,” remarked Cromwell.

The J.P. McManus colours were also carried to victory by Tony Martin’s Gain De Cause in the Hollywoodbets-sponsored novice handicap hurdle over two and a half miles.

In a rousing finale the top-weight Krabat was travelling smoothly in the lead for much of the straight but a good jump at the last got Mark Walsh’s mount upsides and in a bobbing finish the Fame And Glory six-year-old got the verdict by a short-head.

The 11/4 favourite was shrugging aside a 9lb rise in the weights for winning here last month and he was continuing a nice run for his trainer who was making it three victories from his last 10 runners.

“Luck was with us today and the jump at the last might have been the winning of the race. He’s a big horse and you’d hope chasing will be his job down the road,” commented Martin.

Liz Doyle foiled a McManus treble as Salmanino turned in a brave effort from the front in the 80-102 rated Hollywoodbets-sponsored handicap hurdle over three miles.

Sean Flanagan’s mount relished every yard of the trip as he turned away one rival after another and stuck to his task well to hit the line a length and a quarter ahead of the staying-on A Different World.

A runner-up in the Naas maiden which also produced the earlier winner, Bonnie Kellie, the winner is owned by the Fauda Partnership.

IT was a day to remember for Susie Doyle as she partnered her first winner on the track when Knockanard Lady (9/1), trained by her father Pat, made a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race.

Fresh from a success between the flags at Turtulla on Sunday afternoon – which moved her on to the 14-winner mark in that sphere – the winning rider impressed in producing her mount with a well-timed challenge to pick off the odds-on Brookline in the closing stages.

At the line, the John Battersby Racing Syndicate-owned daughter of Fame And Glory, who is out of an own-sister to Shirley Casper and Thunder And Roses, had a length and a quarter to spare and she looks a nice prospect, while her rider will not be long in adding to her haul on the track.

Jockey Evan Dwan enjoyed a welcome change of luck as he teamed up with Sam Curling’s Bonnie Kellie (7/1) to take the John Thomas McNamara Series (Q.R.) Handicap Hurdle over two miles.

This Ballyclogher Partnership-owned mare fell at the last in an unplaced maiden at Naas last month when lying a close second and she confirmed the promise of that effort by readily picking off Cosa Ban on the run to the final flight before pulling five lengths clear.

“I’m delighted for Evan. He’s a good rider and a great worker and he’s had no luck with injuries at all but he rode a point-to-point winner for us yesterday and now he’s won on this mare so hopefully he can get momentum going,” reported Curling.