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Review DOWN ROYAL 6th Feb

A 119/1 treble for the absent Willie Mullins was just about the main story to emerge from this programme, Ruby Walsh was aboard two of them, Davy Condon on his sole spin of the day, on the other one.

Things got rolling for the Closutton outfit when Dani California brought a sequence of placed efforts to an end when absolutely bolting up by 14L in the opener.

Leading away from the penultimate flight under Walsh, the filly waltzed away from the encouraging Noel Meade runner (his first after a ten day break), Gay Sloane.

Successful head-lad, Gary Davies said, "she was long overdue that and she did it well though she would probably like better ground."

Walsh teamed-up with Royal Heritage (5/2 2nd fav) for the 2.35, but they could only manage 8th behind stablemate, Ballytrim in the red and white Cork county colours of Violet O´Leary and jockey Davy Condon.

>This Luso gelding endured a quite time of it over fences last term and despite a mistake at the last in this winners of 2 hurdle, he displayed plenty of staying power in eclipsing Back To Bid by 1 3/4L.

Gilligans Hall was the subject of interest at better odds in the shops, the 5/1 shot (at least 7s was availed of earlier) asserting close home for a 3L win in the beginners chase for Walsh to bring up the Mullins hat-trick.

There didn´t appear to be much interest in Carrigogunnell in morning trading on the 2.05 but before the off there was little doubt that he was well-fancied.

The subject of a failed gamble on his debut, it was a different story this time from Charles Byrnes´ gelding. In front when hitting two out, he was clear when pinging the last, going on for an easy 2 1/2L win.

Barry Geraghty was aboard the son of Fourstars Allstar who touched 13/2 before being punted into 3/1 joint favouritism. Byrnes was obviously delighted afterwards.

He said, "I always thought a lot of this horse and the owners backed him at eights. We´ll give him another run or two over hurdles but he´ll make a smashing two mile chaser."

There was another big gamble in the h´cap hurdle, Railway Cup taken from a price of eight to one in the offices into 5/2 market leader, this money going badly astray as Christy Roche´s charge weakened halfway before pulling up three out.

Not for the first time Niall ´Slippers´ Madden combined with Omagh handler, Mervyn Torrens to take this one with Nirphania. She was left clear by the final flight fall of the beaten, Karlu. Nirphania will now be covered by King´s Theatre.

Torrens went on to register an approximate 40/1 brace (the first of his career) when his Quartetto in the hands of M J Doran, foiled a Willie Mullins four-timer in the bumper. Quartetto beat Captain Conflict by 6L.

Elsewhere Mr Aussie landed the Martinstown Opportunity H´cap Chase for Francis Flood and Shane Hassett.

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