Ruby Walsh was in double form at Ballinrobe when completing a double on Piercing Sun and Askthejudge.
The former champion jump jockey was seen to good affect against his Flat counterparts when getting Piercing Sun home by a neck from Nearly A Moose in the two miles maiden.
The Tony Mullins-trained four-year-old, a well-backed 5/2 favourite (from 100/30), led over a furlong out and needed all of Walsh's strength to hold off Nearly A Moose by a neck. 'There is no maiden over a distance in Galway next week, so I ran him here to get a handicap mark,' said Mullins of the full-brother to Aquila Oculus, a good money-spinner for the yard both on the Flat and over hurdles.
Walsh had a much easier time on Askthejudge in the maiden hurdle, with the 1/2 favourite cruising to the front after two out to beat Mitchella by a facile three lengths. Curragh trainer Frank Ennis now plans to switch the 4yo back to the Flat for the valuable McDonagh Handicap at Galway next Tuesday.
Girl riders have hugged the limelight this season, and none more so than Cathy Gannon who currently heads the apprentice's championship after partnering her 13th winner of the season on Count Altanne.
However the Timmy Doyle-trained gelding was certainly a chance ride for the 21-year-old Dubliner. Her original mount Nicholsons Court was sidelined with a temperature and off-feed, and third reserve Count Altanne was fortunate to get into the six furlongs handicap as the other two reserves declined to take their place in the line-up.
Millers Weir, well-supported from 16/1 down to half those odds, broke smartly from his outside stall and still held the call approaching the final furlong. Gannon produced the College Chapel gelding to challenge off the home turn, and he quickened nicely to score by two lengths. The winner's stable-companion Euro Friendly was sent off the 5/1 favourite, but she lost ground when rearing up in the stalls and never got involved eventually staying on into seventh.
Mount George was patiently-ridden by Michael Hussey in the nine furlongs apprentice handicap, and pounced inside the final 100 yards to beat Gallaher's Sister by half a length. Class Reunion didn't enjoy the clear of passages in the straight, and Austin Leahy's charge can be considered a shade unlucky beaten just over a length in fourth.
Tadhg O'Shea, champion apprentice for the past two seasons, moved onto the 23 winner mark for the current campaign when Berkeley Note took the nine furlongs handicap. Silvergino was all the rage here to follow up his wide margin victory at Killarney last week under a 5lb penalty. But the front-runner could find no extra when headed inside the final furlong by Mick Halford's charge, and was touched off on the line by Flash Express for the runner-up spot.
Load And Lock has proved an exasperating sort for trainer Peter McCreery but the nine-year-old gelding finally added to his only previous success (a maiden hurdle at Downpatrick in November 1998) when landing the handicap chase. Barry Cash's mount struck the front after Blitzy Boy blundered at the fourth and third last fences, and kept on to score by five lengths. 'He's his own boss, and must have been placed about 30 times (Flat and jumps) since his only previous win,' said the Clane handler.
Barry Geraghty heads the National Hunt riders table at this early stage of the season, and recorded winner number 24 of the campaign when partnering Fullasoul to take the handicap hurdle for the in-from Harry Rogers stable. The seven-year-old gelding swept to the front after two out for a comfortable eight lengths victory over Becca'sgold, and the dual purpose performer will continue under both codes.
Alan Magee
