Winged Leader back for Cheltenham raid

Star performance

Workahead was going well when chief rival Nas Na Riogh exited two-out and he made a taking debut like he might not make it out at all, so it’s nice to get him out.

“He’ll improve from that and we’ll think about the hunter chase in Naas now before we consider options for spring.”

Th e vict or y of Wi ng ed

Leader completed a double for champion Barry O’Neill, who was also on Workahead as he made a winning start to his career in the Tattersalls NH & He inek en fiv e-y ear - o ld geldings’ maiden.

The third offspring of 2010 Derby winner Workforce to achieve pointing success this season, Colin Bowe’s bay was upsides fellow newcomer Nas Na Riogh when that rival exited at the second-last and he returned eight lengths clear of Donnchadh Doyle’s €50,000 purchase Icare Du Marais.

Former professional jockey turned handler Ian McCarthy saddled his second winner of the season when Redzy Rocco gained a deserved success in the Eleanor Gammell five-yearold mares’ maiden.

The Audrey Synes-ownedand-bred daughter of Shirocco ha d staye d on sto utly at Dromahane when beaten only a neck on her debut and she justified her position at the top of the market by defeating Jalisco Star – the only one of seven rivals to complete – by five lengths

Definite Article mare Duplicate Daughter, who was her sole previous winner as a handler in a Stradbally maiden in 2015.

Delivered late by Jamie Scallan, Speranza Wilde hit the front on the run-in but immediately put two and a half lengths between herself and the back-to-form Indiana West Ow ne d by O’Go rm an ’s father Donal, the sales-bound five-year-old was wearing the silks sported on the Grade 2 winner Snowy Morning when he won his maiden point at Clonmel 18 years ago.

John Barry’s 800-kilometre round trip from Conna was rewarded when he guided Dermot McLoughlin’s Mousey Brown to a debut success in the Armstrong Auctions older mares’ maiden.

“She’s a nice filly,” McCarthy said. “She has a tremendous attitude and even before her first run, she was the one we’d always liked I won a point-topoint bumper with her brother Ballybough Native, so I know the family well.”

Derek O’Connor had to settle for the runner-up spot on Jalisco Star but he had better fortune in his role as a handler when Now Is The Hour gave Evan Nugent his first success in the Sean Kelly & Tom O’Connell older geldings’ maiden.

The 20-year-old Ennis rider

Runners take the fifth fence at Tyrella in the maiden race won by U Asking Me with the Irish Sea and the town of Newcastle across the bay forming the scenic backdrop

Bought for just €5,200 by the Califet mare’s owner Alan Smith, the six-year-old overhauled longtime leader Neat Locality on the run to the final fence to win by nine lengths

“She was doing some nice work at home and Dermot likes her so I knew she’d have a big chance today,” Barry said.

“Dermot couldn’t make it today as he broke his leg during the week, so this will be a nice change in fortune for him.”