Rae's Creek and Mark Walsh in full flow© Photo Healy Racing
< Whatever It Takes completed a double for Mark Walsh in the McGrath Limestone Works Ltd. Handicap Hurdle at Ballinrobe.
All the better for his recent hurdling return when third at Limerick, the 100-30 chance looked a sitting duck for the strong-travelling I C Gold turning in.
But he found plenty for pressure and crossed the line two and three-quarter lengths to the good.
Walsh's brace began when Rae's Creek made an impressive start to his jumping career in the Paddy Smyth Memorial Maiden Hurdle.
Never far from the pace, the 6-5 favourite moved up to touch down over two out in a share of the lead and he quickened away from that point, establishing a big advantage by the last and scoring eased down by nine and a half lengths from Urtheoneiwant
< Grand Partner supplemented his recent Cork success by proving too strong in the Monroes Live Hurdle.
Tom Mullins' 2-1 shot was stepping up half a mile in trip, but Paul Townend wasn't concerned about his stamina and sent him on on the long run to the last.
He wasn't exactly foot-perfect at it but he landed running and had enough momentum to inflict a four-and-a-quarter-length defeat on War Of The Pennys < Wate And Sea (20-1) held the late thrust of Swantykay to claim the spoils in the Connacht Rugby Handicap Hurdle.
The John Walsh-trained mare hadn't shown much in a 10-race career leading into this but improved for the step into handicaps and, although Swantykay looked the most likely winner approaching the turn, Adrian Heskin had kept enough up his sleeve to see off the market leader by half a length.
< Little Rocky led by a long way during the Mayo News Maiden Hurdle, but Alton Bay (9-4) closed right up down the back straight and they were the only two that mattered from then.
Peter Fahey's Alton Bay was travelling noticeably easier, though, and strolled clear to score by 14 lengths.
