Tipperary Racing Scene
Edward O’Grady was among the winners at Clonmel on Thursday where Always Enchanting scored an easy success in the two-mile Lisronagh Handicap Hurdle.
Owned and bred by Kay Russell, the Mark McDonagh-ridden seven-year-old led before the second-last hurdle and went clear before the last to beat Philip Rothwell’s Robindevidaster by six lengths.
Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead landed a second win over fences with their 2021 Cheltenham Festival Triumph Hurdle scorer Quilixios in the two-mile novice chase at the rearranged fixture at Naas on Friday.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned seven-year-old was a winner on his chasing debut at Limerick in October and he firmly put a below par effort at Punchestown the following month behind him when racing to a comfortable two and a quarter-length success over the Gordon Elliott-trained Sa Fureur.
Nathan Crosse rode winners for trainers Joseph O'Brien and John McConnell as he took the riding honours with a double at Dundalk on Friday.
The Cahir jockey’s recently retired brother Shane enjoyed great success when riding for O'Brien and Nathan notched up his first winner for the Piltown maestro as favourite Beautiful Dawn scored an easy success in the eight-furlong fillies’ maiden. She had plenty in hand when getting the better of the Johnny Murtagh-trained Timana by a length and quarter.
It was tighter as Crosse recorded his second winner on the John McConnell-trained Gatsby Cap in the second division of the eight-furlong handicap. The 28/1 chance led inside the final furlong and held off the challenge of the Keith Clarke-trained Tara Power to win by half a length.
Harry Swan landed another bumper success for Gordon Elliott the highly-touted Romeo Coolio made a winning debut at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
A big drifter in the betting, he was sent off even-money favourite and led early in the straight before being ridden out to beat the Pat Fahy-trained Sporting Glory by a length and a quarter.
The winner, owned by KTDA Syndicate, is the clear second favourite of the bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
Owned by Diarmuid McHugh and John Dwan, the Sam Curling-trained Idol won the two and a half-mile mares’ handicap hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.
A 100/30 chance in the hands of Phillip Enright, she led before the final hurdle to beat the Eoin Doyle-trained Ardera Ru by a length and three-parts.