Gowran success for Micko`s

Micko`s Dream notched up his 11th success and in the process brought his career earnings to under #150,000 when he justified favouritism in the 2m4f Callan Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Partnered by champion-elect Ruby Walsh, the 9/4 fav (from 5/2) joined front-running Ferbet Junior (4/1-7/2) after the third last and under a strong drive kept on well to hold off Foxchapel King by a length-and-a-half with Ferbet Junior back in third.

'He`ll be entered for the 2m Irish Independent Chase (formerly BMW Chase) on Tuesday and the Powers Gold Label Tote Cup (formerly Heineken Gold Cup) 3m on the Wednesday and hopefully he'll run in one of those races next week,' said Willie Mullins.

'He`s entered in the Irish Grand National but we'll see how he gets on next week before we make any decision on that race,' concluded the Carlow handler.

Half-an-hour later Ruby Walsh was back in the winners enclosure again when he teamed up with Colonel Yeager to score in good style in the Mount Leinster Hurdle.

Moscow Flyer was sent off a warm 4/5 market leader here but Colonel Yeager, formerly with Martin Lynch and off the track for 721 days with leg problems, loomed up ominously after the penultimate flight before forging clear to score. A mistake at the last by the odds-on favourite made no difference as he was a beaten horse at the time.

'I got him in good old shape as P.J. Dreeling did great work with him at Swordlestown Stud before I got him in February,' revealed Walsh of the 7-y-o, owned Swordlestown Stud proprietor and Ryan Air director Cathal Ryan.

'The conditions of the race didn`t really suit and I would have been happy if he had finished 3rd or 4th. I`m over the moon with him and we`ll see how he is after. He may run in the Shell Hurdle, we`ll see,' said a delighted Walsh.

Rolling Stone Ron Wood missed out on cheering home his charge Zayta when the 7/2 joint favourite opened her account over fences in the hands of Paul Moloney in the Beginners Chase while Pat Fahy and Kieran Gaule combined to win the opener with That`s The Goose.

Punters got in the right again in the Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle when Norman Williamson conjured up a winning surge aboard Philip Rothwell`s Shaiyran (5/1-3/1fav) to shrug off Itstheotherhorse and Ruby Walsh.