TRAINER John Queally and owner John Nicholson combined for consecutive daily winners at Tipperary on Tuesday where The Banger Doyle (13/2) landed the Ballykisteen Beginners Chase under Ian Power.

The seven-year-old had previously fallen at the final fence at Gowran but put in two big leaps over the final two fences here, helping him to deny the faster-finishing Clifton Warrior (5/4 favourite) by a half-length.

Both the trainer and owner were on the mark at Tramore a day earlier and Nicholson, himself a retired trainer, said: “The Banger Doyle’s mother had a colt foal last night so he has now gone up in price!

“He is named a friend of mine who ‘slipped’ all the greyhounds at the coursing at Clonmel and was a great character. I had many good nights with him and when he passed away a couple of years ago, I asked his wife if I could call a horse after him.

“I love naming my horses after characters I’ve met and my winner yesterday, Pat Coyne [at Tramore], is named after a man from Galway.”

Queally added: “The Banger Doyle was a very promising bumper horse and this is his game. That win now gives us options on good ground for the summer and we’ll potter around with him in novice chases over the coming months. He was bold and brave to jump but it wasn’t good for the heart over the last two.”

Holiday back on song

Jack Holiday is set for a busy summer after notching a third career win in the Junction Handicap Hurdle for trainer John Gleeson, owners the McCarthy family and jockey Philip Byrnes.

Previously successful twice over fences but pulled up at Tramore two days earlier, the 12/1 winner made all and held off Rathnaleen Kal by a length and a half.

Gleeson explained: “He’s well handicapped over hurdles and at Tramore things didn’t happen for him as the ground was too tacky. He wants good ground and is the type of horse who you could run again tomorrow.

“He isn’t big but jumps fences really well and this gives him more options over hurdles. We’ll mix away between hurdles and fences during the summer. He gives his all and is a grand horse to train. I’m lucky to have him and the owners have been great.”

THE most valuable event was the €16,000 Tipperary Races.ie Rated Novice Chase, which went to post with just three runners after Gallyhill and Percy Warner were both withdrawn due to the drying ground conditions.

The race was won by 4/7 favourite Solness, who made all for a comfortable win over Chameron.

Winning trainer Joseph O’Brien wasn’t present for the Bronsan Racing-owned winner and afterwards winning jockey J.J. Slevin said: “He jumped well at Leopardstown, jumped well again today and won well at the line. He is a pretty uncomplicated horse and today’s race looked a good opportunity for him going up to two and a half miles. He stayed at it well.

“He’ll be a nice two-mile handicapper for the summer and I think he’ll be fine on good, watered, summer ground.”

Thinker comes up trumps

The other chase on the card was the Tipperary Handicap Chase, and it went to the Michael McDonagh owned-and-trained Positive Thinker (9/4 favourite) in a battling finish with Earths Furies.

Successful jockey Sean O’Keeffe said: “In fairness to Michael [McDonagh] and Jamie [Ivors, assistant], they had him well schooled and while he rubbed the first, he was deadly after that. He was very good over the last two when I wanted him.

“He was very unlucky not to have won one before now and was getting a pound or two for finishing placed, so it’s great to get his head in front and hopefully the horse will get confidence.”

RACING began with the a two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle won by 4/9 favourite Lets Go Champ, though the race was marred by the fatal final-flight fall of J.P. McManus’ Itstimetomoveon.

The late faller held a half-length lead over Lets Go Champ when falling heavily at the last, leaving Lets Go Champ to score for Henry de Bromhead, Roger Brookhouse and Rachael Blackmore.

Blackmore said: “Lets Go Champ picked up but there was definitely going to be a battle on after the last. He handled the ground, but it is turning summer-like. He has had his problems and hopefully he’ll progress from that.”

Foley’s Boy on top

The second division of the same maiden hurdle saw the Pat Foley-trained Castle Field Boy (11/4) gain a deserved first success, following some placed efforts.

Ridden by Simon Torrens, the Black Stairs Syndicate-owned gelding scored by a half-length from Rule The Wind, who crucially drifted right in the closing stages.

Foley said: “He was tough and Simon was very strong on him. It wasn’t an ideal way of riding him by making all, but we wanted to make sure it was a test as two and a half miles is as short as he wants it on that ground.

“He was pretty backwards in a lot of ways and is a typical Scorpion - he can be a little bit hot - but he has learned and improved from race to race. This is a bonus and he’ll go off on holidays now before coming back chasing next season.”

Aces another Mullins bumper winner

The concluding bumper was won by the Willie Mullins-trained and Patrick Mullins-ridden Four Clean Aces (4/7 favourite), who justified strong market support.

The Jack Of All Traders Syndicate-owned mare indeed has plenty of options for the summer, with the winning jockey commenting: “She isn’t very big, but has a lovely pedigree and has a big heart. The trip probably stretched her on her first run and she has plenty of gears, so we might drop her back in trip now.

“We’ll have a talk about running in a winners’ bumper and her pedigree would suggest she could win a flat maiden. She has plenty of options for the summer and her homework would say she is better than the bare result there.”