Trainer Ado McGuinness had winners at both Navan and Gowran today, winning with 11yo Miracle Ridge in the opening Slane Handicap at Navan before Toufan Express landed the apprentice handicap at Gowran.
Toufan Express' win at Gowran was a fourth winner for his apprentice jockey Warren Cafferty, 19, and McGuinness was present to report 'Toufan Express will go hurdling later this summer.'
'He was formerly with Mick Channon in England and needs good ground.'
Also at Gowran, Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen combined for a double, scoring in the fillies maiden with Michikabu and with Lavender Rose in the feature event, the Summer Sundays At Gowran Park Handicap.
Michikabu, previously second her two runs, racing prominently before getting to the front under two furlongs out but eventually needed to be ridden out for a length and a half win over Deauville Vision.
Weld later reported 'she deserved that following two good runs. The ground was as fast as she'd like it but she's a lovely genuine filly and we'll try to get some black-type with her now.'
Half an hour later, Weld was full of praise of Smullen's handling of Lavender Rose, who came from last to first, and needed to be switched to the outer two furlongs out, to eventually defeat De Roberto by one length.
Weld mentioned 'Pat gave her a very nice tactical ride and the race worked out perfectly for her.'
The God Of Love came to the rescue of bookmakers in the opening Golf Available At Gowran Park Maiden, springing a 16/1 surprise on his debut.
The gelded son of Stravinsky was held up in mid division by Michael Hussey before making progress in the straight but only got his head front close home, eventually proving three parts of a length too good for Tajneed.
Afterwards, winning trainer Ger Lyons reported 'that surprised me a little because I thought he'd come on from the run.'
He added 'The God Of Love is a nice horse and was bought by his owner PJ O'Shaughnessy from Henry Cecil's yard last year and I only have him two or three months.'
Noel Meade's Cavallo Classico provided jockey Denis O'Regan with a welcome change of luck when winning the Gowran Park Maiden Hurdle.
Meade later reported 'Cavallo Classico picked up well when challenged and may have one more run before being left off. He's still officially a novice but is a chaser in the making.'
Willie Mullins' Madam Leader was the first winner of the new jump season, when landing the Goresbridge Handicap Hurdle, under promising 7lb claimer Richie Kiely.
At Navan, the feature event, the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes saw trainer John Oxx saddle the first two home, with Kastoria, under Mick Kinane, defeating stablemate Virginia Woolf by one length.
