The evening’s racing got even better for Dessie Hughes and Bryan Cooper as the three-pound claimer rode a fine waiting race on Action Master in the Kieran Kelly Memorial Beginners Chase to give the pair a 29/1 treble.
The race was poignant for Dessie Hughes as Kieran Kelly who rode for him lost his life in a fall in this race in 2003. Kelly was aged 25 and had won the Royal & Sun Alliance Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham on Hardy Eustace in the same year.
Dessie Hughes said: “It’s sad but I’m delighted to win Kieran’s race.
“This is a race Kieran lost his life in and the first time I’ve won it.
“It was a great ride by Bryan. He’s a tricky horse. You can’t hit him and have to coax him home.”
The treble was Cooper’s first and gave him a nice birthday present for when he turns 19 tomorrow.
Action Master (3/1), Traffic Article and game front-runner Carrleoni jumped the last together but Cooper took the inside rail and prevailed by the narrowest margin over Jason Maguire on Traffic Article, the 15/8 favourite.
The victorious All Gone West Syndicate are from Galway.
Michael Graham
