First flat winner of the season for Twomey

For a trainer with such a notable strike-rate, it was hardly surprising that Paddy Twomey struck with his first runner of the new season. He landed the 14-furlong conditions’ race at Navan on Wednesday with the smart French Claim which had little difficulty in scoring under Billy Lee.

The four-year-old, third in last season’s Irish Derby, led before the straight and came home a seven and a half-length winner from the Jessica Harrington-trained Taipan.

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore added to their Naas success on the previous Sunday as Gooloogong took the 10-furlong maiden. The favourite ran out two and a half length winner from the Dermot Weld-trained Nation’s Call and the pair were all of fourteen lengths clear of the third horse home, Young Ireland.

O'Brien recorded a second success as the Seamie Heffernan-ridden Drumroll won the concluding eight-furlong maiden. A 13/2 chance, he led close to the finish to beat Dermot Weld’s Time Tells All.

Sam Curling landed the two-mile mares’ maiden hurdle with Troubled Times at Naas on Thursday. The favourite was having her first start since winning a bumper winner at Gowran Park in September of last year and she followed up with the minimum of fuss, seeing off the Denis Hogan-trained Chautuaqua by two and a half lengths under Phillip Enright.

Limerick hosted its now famed Student Day on Thursday and among the winners on the all-National Hunt card was the Denis Hogan-trained Henning. Owned and bred by Robert Hennelly, she led at the second-last hurdle under Daniel King and got the better of the Michael McDonagh-trained favourite Positive Thinker by three-parts of a length to score.

A favourite that did oblige was the Michael Winters-trained Crowsatedappletart which landed the two-mile handicap hurdle in good style. Ridden by Rachael Blackmore for owner Paul Mullins, the 16/5 chance led on the run to the final hurdle and pulled away to win by three and three-parts of a length from the Brendan Walsh-trained Toon Town.

Toomevara conditional jockey Conor Clarke and Emmet Mullins combined to win the rated novice hurdle with Hardy Bloke at Wexford on Friday. A 100/30 chance in the trainer’s own colours, the six-year-old made all the running and went clear from the second-last hurdle to beat Gordon Elliott’s Jumping Jet by an easy nine and a half lengths.

Fethard trainer Willie Browne took the opening two-year-old median sires series maiden at Dundalk on Friday with the newcomer Buyin Buyin. Owned by Leidiana Marques and ridden by her husband Manoel, the 14/1 chance led well inside the final furlong for a three-length success over the Adrian Murray-trained Lightening Army, a second winner in Ireland for the Brazilian jockey.

Trainer James McAuley landed a 1-2 in the seven-furlong claiming race as favourite Rocky Dreams got the better of Inflection Point. The same two horses filled the same places in the race a year ago when trained by Denis Hogan and Ado McGuinness respectively and this time Joey Sheridan got the winner home by a neck whereas last year’s winning margin was a head.

Aidan O'Brien landed his first winner of the weekend as the Wayne Lordan-ridden San Antonio gave Ballydoyle a 1-2 in the 10-furlong maiden when easily beating Seamie Heffernan’s mount Cape Bridgewater by three and three-parts of a length.

Aidan O'Brien landed a couple of notable early season successes at Leopardstown on Sunday. He saddled odds-on favourite Hans Andersen to win the Group 3 Ballylinch Stud Red Rocks 2,000 Guineas Trail, the Ryan Moore-ridden favourite coming home two and a half lengths to the good over the Jessica Harrington-trained Bold Discovery.

Moore was also in the saddle as favourite Never Ending Story took the Ballylinch Stud Priory Belle 1,000 Guineas Trial in equally convincing fashion. She wore down the front-running Matilda Picotte well inside the final furlong to score by the same margin.

An easier winner again was the brilliantly consistent Cristal Clere which won the eight-furlong handicap by three and a quarter lengths. Ridden for trainer John Nallen by Sean Bowen, the 13/2 chance skipped clear from the furlong pole to beat the Shane Crawley-ridden Karlsberg, just reward for a number of promising runs in recent week on the all-weather at Dundalk.

Upcoming Meetings

Leopardstown – Wednesday, April 5 (First Race 1.55pm)

Bellewstown – Thursday, April 6 (First Race 1.20pm)

Clonmel – Thursday, April 6 (First Race 4.00pm)

Cork – Saturday, April 8 (First Race 1.15pm)

Fairyhouse – Saturday, April 8 (First Race 2.10pm)

Cork – Sunday, April 9 (First Race 1.10pm)

Fairyhouse – Sunday, April 9 (First Race 1.25pm)

Cork – Easter Monday, April 9 (First Race 1.50pm)

Fairyhouse – Easter Monday, April 10 (First Race 2.05pm)