EKLIM PROVIDES PRENDERGAST WITH HIS THIRD McDONOGH

Kevin Prendergast saddled the winner of the traditional Tuesday feature, the McDonogh Handicap, for the third time when Eklim finished strongly under Declan McDonogh.

The three-year-old colt had very few of his 17 rivals behind him on the descent to the home bend but quickened well from the furlong pole to beat Fearn Royal by a length and a half.

Senators Alibi was a further half length adrift in third, while well-backed 3/1 favourite Cache Creek didn´t enjoy the clearest of passages but came home well in fourth.

´He´s a good horse on that ground and, if its soft, he could go for the Cambridgeshire. He was second in a Listed race last year, and we´ll give him another chance in that company,´ said the Curragh handler.

Prendergast and McDonogh were also on the mark earlier with another for Hamdan Al Maktoum as Takrice made a successful debut in the two-year-old fillies maiden.

The daughter of Cadeaux Genereux was brought wide to challenge off the final bend, and stretched clear in the closing stages to beat evens favourite Summer Sunset by three lengths.

´I thought she would run well but was pleasantly surprised the way she did it. She handled the ground well, and will probably head for the Moyglare Stud Stakes´, said Prendergast.

Blava completed a 615/1 treble for the pair, the second of McDonogh´s career, when prominent throughout in the three-year-old maiden to beat Alone He Stands by a head.

The Irish Grand National is the long-term aim for Sum Leader, who looked a useful staying novice when taking the two and three quarter miles winners chase.

Barry Geraghty´s mount traveled strongly on the downhill run to the final two fences in the dip, and drew clear on the long run-in to score by 11 lengths from Beausheram.

´He will stay novice chasing this season, and hopefully can develop into a National horse. He´s a lightly-framed horse, and needs three to four weeks between his races,´ said trainer Gerry Keane.

´A fantastic ride´ is how trainer Willie Mullins described Ruby Walsh´s performance on Clounties Hill after justifying favouritism in the maiden hurdle.

The six-year-old gelding joined Artane Boys and Faithful Manager approaching the last, and needed all of Walsh´s strength to get home by three quarters of a length.

´He pulls very hard but Ruby put him to sleep. He jumped a bit big, and the plan is go chasing after another run or two over hurdles,´ said Mullins.

There was another vintage effort in the saddle from Michael Kinane in the seven furlongs handicap as Huxley (5/1-2/1 fav) landed a massive gamble.

The Paul Roche-trained gelding looked a forlorn hope entering the straight but, despite hanging to the right, was galvanised by the champion to amazingly beat Nick The Brief by a length and a half.

´Mick said Galway is made for him when he got off this horse at the Curragh last time. He told me that before with Larifarri and Sheer Tenby, and that´s the third time he´s been right,´ said Tramore-based Roche.

Alan Magee