Philip Carberry, who rode a winner at Cork on Saturday and another at Gowran Park on Sunday, went one better at Kilbeggan last evening where he landed a double.
The rising star of the National hunt game, Carberry scored an easy success on O So Blue in the Bloomfield House Hotel Handicap Chase. Although a drifter in the betting market, the 14 to 1 chance always looked like winning and came home a two and a half length winner for trainer Tom Taaffe.
'He won a point to point at Kinsale on the final weekend of the season. He stays and jumps well', said the winning trainer.
Carberry had earlier partnered Val O'Brien's Ray Lord to success in the D&E McHugh New Holland Handicap Hurdle after which five jockeys were suspended for riding a finish a circuit early.
The quintet, Joey Elliott, Shane McCann, Derek Kelly, Gary Hutchinson and amateur rider Katie Harrison were each banned for two days. The professional riders were ordered to forfeit their riding fees, while Ms. Harrison was fined a similar amount, #75.
The Christy Roche-trained Aerleon Pete, who landed quite a gamble when a winner here late last month, was again well backed when taking the Bank Of Ireland Handicap Hurdle under Charlie Swan.
Winning owner JP McManus recorded a second winner when his Fier Goumier battled well under Conor O'Dwyer to win the JA Shaw Beginners Chase.
His Assegai, the odds-on favourite, could only finish fourth in the T & V Maiden Hurdle. Victory here went to 8 to 1 chance Sail Away Sailor, ridden for trainer Tim Doyle by Garrett Cotter.
Dr Torus survived a mistake at the last to win the William Glynn Memorial Maiden Hurdle for Philip Rothwell and Joey Casey, a seventh winner in the last four weeks for the Co Wicklow handler.
