Barry Geraghty was the man in form at a packed Kilbeggan last evening when he recorded a near 47/1 brace via Paul Gilligan's Broadstone Road and Nicholls Cross, trained by Edward O'Grady.
While the success of well-backed Broadstone Road was orchestrated in effortless fashion for the Meathman it was a totally different story during Joe Cooney Memorial Handicap Chase as he needed to work overtime to score on Nicholls Cross.
The pair led over the third last closely tracked by Castlerueana and Keith Hadnett but to the credit of Edward O'Grady's 10/1 chance and an inspired Geraghty ride they kept on well to land the spoils by two lengths.
Thomas Matthews, who has just two horses under permit at his Dunleer base, saddled Laughing Lesa to win the Foster & Allen Maiden Hurdle.The half-sister to Merry Gale needed all of Paul Carberry's urgings to come out on top at the expense of market leader Halfaquid and Larry Hurley after a titanic battle from the last.
Jamie Codd was in trouble with the stewards not to mention the punters when he failed to weigh-in after partnering the well backed Coolgarrow into third place.
Codd, who later admitted he was distracted by a member of the public on his return to the weigh room hence his terrible blunder, was later banned for 3 racedays and also fined E250.
With Arthur Moore's Jurado Express a non-runner at Sligo on Thursday and so not qualified to run 24 hours later, Conor O'Dwyer switched to stable companion Madonna Fan, who went on to land the opener with the minimum of fuss.
'My daughter Anna bought him for 6,000gns in Newmarket last year and he's a first winner for the Dublin based Speculators Syndicate which includes former Dublin footballer Bernard Brogan,' Moore said afterwards.
Barry Geraghty's brother Ross teamed up with the Tom Kidd-trained Halley's Comet to win the 3m handicap hurdle while Charles Byrnes Gothic Lord shrugged off Laurier Rose after the turn-in to win the beginners chase.
Punters got it right in the finale when Glamorous Leader held the fast-finishing Viva Bingo by a rapidly diminishing 3/4L
