Pat Flynn and Barry Geraghty were the men in form at the south-eastern venue where both completed doubles on the Saltan Properties-sponsored seven race meeting.
Conobar supplied Clare MacMahon with her second success in the saddle when landing the lady riders handicap hurdle, drawing clear after two out to beat Sea Hymn by ten lengths.
The Carrick-On-Suir handler was also on the mark with Pollardsfield, who survived a bad blunder at the last when taking the conditions hurdle by 11 lengths in the hands of Barry Geraghty. 'He will go now for a winners of one, and Barry said he would prefer better ground,' said Flynn.
Geraghty completed his double aboard Clonard Prince in the beginners chase. Liz Doyle's charge was up with the pace throughout, and stayed on well to beat odds-on On The Mend by six lengths.
Alan Donoghue (18), from Carlow, partnered his first winner when Amandas Princess caused a surprise in the opening four-year-old maiden hurdle. Eamonn Sheehy's charge made steady headway to head Swordplay before the final flight for a four and a half lengths success.
'She is a half-sister to Cronins Boy, and soft ground is probably the key to her,' said Sheehy, who reports Cronins Boy back cantering having returned sore when losing a shoe in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown last Sunday.
Risetotheoccasion justified good support in the two-and-three-quarter miles handicap hurdle. The Glacial Storm gelding, strongly ridden by John Butler for his father Michael, struck the front between the final two flights to beat Clanwilliam Source by two lengths.
However Butler was judged to have used his whip with excessive frequency, and was given a two days suspension (January 26-27).
Alan Magee
