Down The Highway gives Love win on first ride

MATT HE W LO VE co uld scarcely have enjoyed a better first competitive ride over fences when he partnered Down The Highway to beat odds-on favourite The Storyteller in the Mongey Communications open for novice riders

The fifth-year King’s Hospital student had previously ridden in five bumpers, but he wasted little time in opening his account on his point-to-point debut.

He pr od uce d Ciar an Murphy’s ten-year-old to overhaul the Gordon Elliotttrained former Grade 1 winner The Storyteller after the last before going on to win by a length and a half

“I didn’t know if I was going

Star performance

Undeniable Alibi had far too much speed for his rivals to win impressively to get there as The Storyteller was travelling very strong in fr on t, bu t thi s lad ju st quickened,” Love said.

Elliott did get on the scoreboard when Happy Victory justified his favourite’s tag in the Quinn’s of Baltinglass farmers race

The renowned trial for the Bi sho ps co ur t Cu p at the Kildare venue’s spring festival had been dominated by Peter Maher and Shark Hanlon in recent years

It was Hanlon’s Speaker Thomas who made all the running, and he held a narrow advantage when falling at the penultimate fence as Happy Victory loomed. His departure allowed the recent Tinahely winner to return three and a half lengths clear of Keenaghan Lass.

That was one of two wins on the card for Rob James as he had earlier teamed up with Colin Bowe to win the Goffs Ar kle Sa le fo ur-y e ar-old maiden in impressive fashion with Undeniable Alibi.

Ha vin g cost his Gr ade

1-w innin g ow ner Br ian Acheson €170,000 when the third most expensive lot at last year’s Land Rover sale, the Sa int De s Sa ints gel ding produced an electric turn of foot early in the straight to beat fellow French-bred Nouvotic comfortably by four and a half lengths

“He’s a lovely big horse and I was always a winner turning in,” James said. “He even got there too soon and just pricked his ears I’m delighted for Brian. He buys a nice horse and he’s got a good one going forward.”

As Cormac Abernethy was sidelined with a collarbone injury from a fall at Turtulla last month, Oran McGill had the opportunity to ride his first winner in the famous Wilson Dennison colours, as Ballymackie dominated the Cavan Developments five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Fermoy mares’ winners-of-one on his fatherMartin Fitzgerald’s Carrig Wells.

Bred by the youngerFitzgerald’s grandfather Joe, Carrig Wells pickedupthe running beforethe second-lasttobeat lon g-time leade rD ul Ar

Aghaidh by adiminishinghalflength

Ca rri gWells,w ho als o provided her rider with his initial winner at Castlelands last season, is nowlikelyto contestanother winners’ race

Therewas yetanother fathersonsuccessinthe Gain Equine Nutrition &GroveStudsixyear-old and upwardsmaiden for no vi ce ri der sw he n

“Things just didn’tgoher wayatBorrisHouse.There were afew nigglingissues found after the race and Brian [Hamilton] hasironedthem out,”Harveysaid. “Itwas only a matterofpushing the button down the backstraightand she hasthen putthe race to bed very quickly.”

Sean McParlancame closeto recordinganacross-the-card double when his Le Malinjust failed to beat the reigning cham pi on hu nt er chas er Bi lla wa ya tNaa s, as his Shantou Show hadearlier won the BarOne Racingolder maiden.

Pitche di nt ow inners ’ companywhen making his de bu ta tC ra gmor el as t month,the seven-year-old did not go unnotice di nt he market as he made the switch to maiden companycount by be at ing the fa vo ur ite Ballydesmond by alength and ahalf in the handsofDara McGill.