WESTERN Zara continued a strong season for Paul Nolan as she made it two wins from as many visits to Clonmel in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase.

After winning a useful handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse last time out, the placed pointer was switched to fences for the first time and produced a nice display.

From a long way out Richie Deegan’s mount looked to have the favourite Carrigeen Lotus covered and the 100/30 shot eased clear from the turn-in.

The Anna Scanlon-owned mare negotiated the last two fences safely and a winning margin of 11 lengths doesn’t quite convey her level of superiority.

“She jumped great. She had lots of schooling done with Johnny Berry when she was a youngster and she seems to be better over a fence. It was a good effort in the ground for the pace they went,” reflected Nolan. “Hopefully she will be a nice mare for fences and she has won on nice ground over hurdles.”

Gordon Elliott’s Bravo Team had no trouble justifying his position as the 2/5 favourite in the two-mile maiden hurdle for horses who had never previously finished in the first three.

The Pioneer Racing-owned son of Imperial Monarch probably represented something of an outlier in a contest of this nature as he had finished fourth in bumpers at the Fairyhouse Winter Festival and Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting on his first two starts.

Eased to front

On his second outing over timber, Bravo Team eased to the front for Jack Kennedy before two out and he never came under strong handling to enjoy an eight-length triumph over Gargouille.

“He had a nice run the last day. It looked a very good opportunity for him and it was all quite straight forward,” declared Kennedy. “I think over fences going a longer trip on better ground he will be a nice horse.”

Trainer Joe O’Keeffe recorded his first success for several years when Little Token shed her maiden tag after 19 previous attempts in the 80-102 rated mares’ handicap hurdle over two miles.

Owned and bred by Helen O’Connor and ridden by her nephew Mike O’Connor, the 4/1 favourite came with a whirlwind charge on the run-in to sweep by Plassey House and score by two and a quarter lengths.

The daughter of Milan who deserved this success having been placed on a number of occasions over the last few seasons.

Loud celebrations for Mortell’s first track win

IT was an afternoon to cherish for Limerick-based Brian Mortell who sent out his first winner on the track when Three Loud Knocks, with whom he had won two point-to-points, bagged the 0-95 rated handicap chase over just short of three miles.

The 10-year-old was as big as 33/1 when betting for the race opened the previous evening but was eventually sent off at 7/1 and he came out the right side of a dour finish.

After the last fence Darragh O’Keeffe’s mount finally shook off the attentions of Enduring Love and they clung on by a neck to hold off the strong-finishing 28/1 chance Lacken Bridge who may well have won but for a slightly slow jump at the final fence.

“I’ve been in the outside catering business for the last 40 years. I’m since semi-retired and doing this part time and loving every minute of it. I got the licence in November and this is a dream come true,” stated Mortell.

Meanwhile, Conor Clarke, who notched up two winners on the flat last season, recorded his first win over jumps aboard the 18/1 chance Geni De La Cour in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle over two miles.

The Emmet Mullins inmate won a bumper in his native France and started off in Ireland with a third at Tramore on New Year’s Day before falling on his next starts.

However, it was all change for the gelding here as he turned in a good round of jumping and he came to the last fighting out victory with Plains Indian when the latter crashed out to leave the strapping six-year-old to come home three and a half lengths clear of Whatsavailable.

“He’s a free-going type and Conor was cool on him; that was well deserved. This horse has plenty of potential and hopefully he can progress. We were hopeful rather than confident coming here,” declared Mullins whose charge is owned by the Edinburgh Woollen Mill Limited.

Chautuaqua highlights

a Denis Hogan double

THE afternoon ended on a high for Denis Hogan who sent out the winners of the last two races and he could have a lovely type on his hands in Chautuaqua (14/1) who made a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares INH Flat Race.

A four-year-old daughter of Westerner who was picked up for €8,000 at the store sales in August, this filly did not go ignored in the betting before putting her rivals to the sword in some style.

John O’Meara produced her with a powerful surge on the outer in the straight and Chautuaqua led well over a furlong out to finish seven lengths clear of the well-supported newcomer Oakroom Lady.

“I didn’t expect that as I felt she wasn’t ready for this but she loves the ground. We knew she wanted that ground, she is a real winter mare,” remarked Hogan whose charge is owned by Cavan-based Declan Sheridan.

Very good

“We were riding her to run well and we thought she’d get tired but she must be very good. She’ll stay in bumpers this season and there are a few listed bumpers we could look at.”

Earlier, Hogan was on board Wild Hunt (11/2) who registered the first success of his career in the 80-95 rated three-mile handicap.

A runner-up to Mighty Potter in a bumper this time last year, this Dubawi gelding swept aside Emancipator after two out to win easily.

Flat trainer James McAuley owns the winner, who is a brother to the top-class flat horses Wild Illusion and Yibir.

In an eventful race we lost one of the leading fancies, Grey Habit, early on and after three out that horse went on to carry out Ask And Answer who was at the head of the field at the time.

“He did it well. The race fell apart a bit but he couldn’t do any better. He ran well at Punchestown last week (second to Indie Belle) but I felt the track beat him there as it was just too sharp,” remarked Hogan who was riding his first winner in the McAuley colours.