Banasan warmed up for another crack at the Galway Plate by landing the odds in the two and a half miles conditions hurdle at Fairyhouse this evening.
The well-backed 4/7 favourite, sixth in the Ballybrit feature last year, was patiently ridden by Ruby Walsh striking the front before the last and drawing clear to beat Hardy Duckett by 4 1/2L.
'Ruby gets a good old tune out of this lad, and he'll go now for the Plate. He seems to go on nearly any ground, although he was feeling the fast ground here,' said Michael O'Brien's assistant Denis Cullen.
Paul Carberry stood himself down with a pulled muscle after riding in the opening two races but his younger brother Philip was seen to good effect when partnering an 80/1 double aboard Mahdi De Coeur and Penny Hall.
Arthur Moore was full of praise for his nephew after an exciting finish to the 2m handicap hurdle where Mahdi De Coeur was one of three in the air together over the last.
Carberry's mount got a nice run up the inner entering the straight, leading on the run-in to beat Jimmy Spot On by 3/4L and may turn out again at Killarney next Thursday.
Philip then teamed up with his father Tommy to land the 2m5f handicap chase as 8/1 chance Penny Hall dug deep from the last in another three-horse tussle to beat The Stillard by 1 1/2L.
'He's a good sound jumper and hopefully can win another few,' said Carberry senior of his first winner for owner J P McManus.
Kilcock trainer David Broad enjoyed a welcome change of luck when Aqualung sprung a 33/1 (paid 110.80 on the Tote) shock in the maiden hurdle, providing claimer Keith Clarke with his third success.
'He ran well at Tipperary on his second last run, and the plan is to switch him to the Flat for a mile and a half handicap at Galway,' said Broad, saddling his first winner in over 14 months.
Ifwhatsowhat scored in impressive fashion on his handicap debut in the latest leg of the Martinstown Opportunity Hurdle Series, hard held by Johnny Allen in the closing stages to beat Leading Springs by 3L.
'He was a weak horse but is improving all the time, and his jumping has taken a while to get together,' said trainer Michael McElhone of the 16/1 (24.50 on the Tote) winning 5yo.
Safe Route got his chasing career off to the best possible start in the 2m4f beginners event, jumping to the front two out under Andrew McNamara to beat The Tailor Carey by an easy 8L.
Katie Walsh continued her good form of late when partnering her 13th winner aboard the Willie Mullins-trained Sonne Cinq in the bumper.
The attendance of 2,935 was about 10% up on the corresponding Friday evening meeting last year, and appeared to include quite a lot of young families.
Alan Magee
