Seasonal Milestones for Blackmore and Swan

Cullen trainer Eamonn O’Connell went very close to winning two races in the space of just three days with The Niffler which landed the two-mile three-furlong handicap hurdle at Naas on Tuesday.

Ridden by Jack Kennedy, the 6/1 chance headed the front-running Chosen Saint after the final hurdle and stayed on strongly to hold the late surge of the Sean Byrne-trained favourite King Kali by half a length.

The Niffler turned out again at Clonmel on Thursday, but this time lost to the Denise O’Shea-trained Tingarran Express by just three-parts of a length.

Rachael Blackmore reached the 50-winner mark for the season in Ireland as Henry de Bromhead added to his earlier Cheltenham success on the same afternoon as Lady Bresil landed the two-mile maiden hurdle at Clonmel on Thursday.

The 5/4 chance made much of the running in the colours of Basil Holian and held off the late surge of the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Maroto and Paul Townend by three-parts of a length. The trainer was earlier a winner with the Darragh O'Keeffe-ridden Emotivo at Cheltenham.

Harry Swan brought his tally for the season to twenty winners when partnering the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Bleu De Vassy to a comfortable success in the concluding bumper. Trained by Gordon Elliott, the 4/1 chance led over a furlong from the finish and stretched away to score by an easy seven lengths from the Patrick Collins-trained Champagne Kid.

The Sue Magnier-owned Butch Cassidy made a winning debut when justifying odds of 9/4 favourite in the concluding bumper at the first meeting of the year at Ballinrobe on Friday.

Ridden for trainer Philip Fenton by Eoin O'Brien, the four-year-old led two furlongs from the finish and he held off the Sam Curling-trained Swingin Safari and Harry Swan by half a length.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, odds-on favourite Chemistry made much of the running to win the 10-furlong maiden at the Curragh on Saturday. Aidan O'Brien’s charge built up a clear advantage from halfway and ran out a one and a half-length winner from the Johnny Murtagh-trained Bloom Vega, in the hands of Ben Coen.

Clonmel’s John Nallen sent out the winner of the concluding six-furlong handicap. With Robert Whearty in the saddle, Mercurial saw off a host of challengers inside the final two furlongs to win by a comfortable three lengths from the Edward & Patrick Harty-trained Midnight Fire.

At the Curragh on Sunday, Donnacha O'Brien and Gavin Ryan landed the Listed Lester Piggott Gladness Stakes with Yosemite Valley. It was a taking performance from the four-year-old which got the better of the Joseph O'Brien-trained favourite Jumbly inside the final furlong and pulled clear to win by two and three-parts of a length.

Wayne Hassett won the seven-furlong handicap on the Denis Cullen-trained grey Zephron. The 13/2 chance came from a little off the pace and led close to the finish to beat Denis Hogan’s El Bello by half a length.

Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead took the concluding rated novice chase with the Robcour-owned Gua Du Large at Tramore on Sunday. Leading before the final fence, the 5/2 chance was pushed out to beat Gavin Cromwell’s favourite Dutch Shultz by three-parts of a length.

Upcoming Meetings

Gowran Park – Wednesday, April 24 (First Race 4.00pm)

Bellewstown – Wednesday, April 24 (First Race 4.45pm)

Wexford – Thursday, April 25 (First Race 4.05pm)

Bellewstown – Thursday, April 25 (First Race 4.45pm)

Cork – Friday, April 26 (First Race 2.15pm)

Downpatrick – Friday, April 26 (First Race 4.40pm)

Navan – Saturday, April 27 (First Race 1.45pm)