CREPELLO - Hogan and Blackmore among the winners at Limerick

Limerick staged its second meeting in a week on Thursday last where Cloughjordan’s Denis Hogan and Killenaule’s Rachael Blackmore led the blue and gold brigade by saddling well backed winners, while The Getaway Star confirmed her status as one of the best novice mares in training with an impressive victory in the opening mare’s maiden hurdle.

On paper at least the two-mile and three claiming hurdle looked to be a tricky affair and it produced a thrilling finish with just a couple of lengths covering the first six home with victory going to the Denis Hogan trained Bal De Rio who defeated the Joseph O'Brien runner Fama Et Gloria by a neck.

Well ridden by Wicklow born rider Charlie Hart, Bal De Rio was never too far out of his ground before moving into contention at the flight before the straight. With the final hurdle omitted Hart kicked for home after what is usually the second last but was all out to withstand the later surge of Fama Et Gloria.

A well-travelled individual, Bal De Rio was twice a winner in his native France before joining Brian Ellison across the water for whom he was also a dual winner. Purchased at Doncaster horses in training sale for £3000 in 2019, he was a well backed winner of his maiden hurdle at Thurles in February and has contested a couple of hot handicaps since.

Claiming races are now very much part of the racing scene where a trainer can effectually handicap his own horse by the value he puts on him, and he is weighted accordingly and a prospective buyer must lodge his claim together with a certified cheque or bank draft before the race. Although Bal De Rio was not claimed several of the runners found new homes and it will be interesting to see how they fare when they reappear in the weeks ahead.

Rachael Blackmore and her chief ally Henry de Bromhead completed a double which was initiated by Schone Aussicht in the second division of the two mile and three mare’s maiden hurdle.

A five-time winner on the level in her home country of Germany, the six-year-old had shown promise on her two outings for her new connections and as a consequence she went to post an odds-on favourite.

Ms Blackmore signalled her intentions early on by sending her mount straight into the lead and she never saw another rival as passed the post five and a half lengths clear Ailie Rose.

This was a likeable display by the winner, her hurdling was good in main and on the evidence supplied here can go on to better things.

Western Cowboy completed the brace for the trainer and jockey when he ran out a workmanlike winner of the two-mile maiden hurdle.

Placed second in his two previous outings over hurdles, Western Cowboy started a solid even money chance and was given time to find his feet before hitting the front early in the straight and getting the better of a protracted dual with Mars Harper by a length and three parts.

In her post race debrief, Ms Blackmore revealed that her mount handled the tacky conditions well, he was inclined to lean out towards the centre of the track where the better ground was, but she was never too concerned about this. He is a nice horse going forward and will jump a fence in the fullness of time.

Paul Nolan and Bryan Cooper combined to capture the first division of the two mile and three 80-95 handicap hurdle with Glen Robin, who hit the front hurdle two out, and found plenty to defeat the Stephen Ryan trained Monatierna by six and a half lengths.

Different riding tactics saw the latter run a cracker in the hands of Sean O'Keeffe as he was always up with the pace and if repeated, he is well enough handicapped to open his account over hurdles.

Shortest priced winner of the day came in the first division of the two mile and three mare’s maiden hurdle when The Getaway Star made every post a winning one to win unchallenged by six and a half lengths at odds of 1/6.

For winning jockey Declan Queally it was a race to remember as he has reached the required number of winners to shed his right to claim.

Denis Hogan was on the mark again at Fairyhouse on Friday when he saddled Grand Review to land the mile and two claiming race, at odds of 50/1.

Given strong handling by jockey Joe Doyle, the American Pharoah colt joined the leaders in the straight before taking over a furlong or so out and finding plenty to defeat Sea Sessions by a couple of lengths.

Joseph O'Brien has high hopes for Velocidad who made a winning debut in the six furlong two-year-old maiden.

A 25,000 guineas yearling purchase the daughter of Gleneagles nullified her wider draw by breaking smartly and was always up with the pace. Jockey Declan McDonagh popped the question entering the final furlong and the response was immediate as she set sail for home, however, Tut Tut arrived to throw down a strong challenge but she was always playing second fiddle to Velocidad who landed the spoils by half a length.

Brendan Powell, who is assistant trainer to Joseph O'Brien, reported that this is a lovely filly going forward and she will be upped in grade for her next outing.

Ray Hackett kept his many supporters happy when saddling Lord McZie to cause a 66/1 upset in the five-furlong handicap at Navan on Sunday to give Toomevara apprentice Conor Clarke his first winner.

A Dundalk maiden winner for Joseph O'Brien last July, the Starspangledbanner gelding was subsequently purchased at Newmarket Sales for 2,500 guineas and right now it looks like money well spent.

Settled at the rear of the field, he began to make headway after the halfway point and with the rider showing the coolness of a veteran swooped in the final strides to defeat Art Of Unity by a head.

This must rate as a fine piece of riding by Conor Clarke and if replicated he is going to be in demand by trainers the length and breadth of the country.

“I can’t put it into words,” said Clarke of his first winner.

“I became apprentice to Ray about two months ago this is only my second ride on the Flat and I’m delighted to get off the mark. My first ride was in Mallow on Lord Mczie as well. He was probably a bit out of his depth then, but he ran well all the same and we had high hopes coming here today.

“I thought I was gone with a few hundred yards to race but saw a bit of a gap, pricked his ears and rallied well for me. I wasn’t sure if I’d won it as I saw a horse on my outside but one of the lads said well done to me and I was delighted.”