Front-running was the name of the game in the Bennettbridge Rated Race at Gowran Park as Paul Deegan's Midnight Soprano made every yard to land the spoils under Chris Hayes.
The keen-going Whipless was always on the premises but could never quite get on terms with the 11-4 favourite, who stuck steadfastly to the inside running rail before prevailing by three-quarters of a length.< Macbeth (5-2) also made every yard of the running when landing the mile and a half Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for jockey Billy Lee and trainer Ken Condon.
Kevin Prendergast's Soohaad returned to action with a solid victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.< Chois The Idea made a decent fist of things from the front and still led with a furlong to run, but Declan McDonogh drove Soohaad (7-4 favourite) into the lead close home and he kept on well to beat Caonach by a length.
The rain came down with a real vengeance before the Follow Gowran Park On Facebook Handicap, but Pat Flynn won't have been complaining after Brog Deas opened his account.
A no-show in three maiden starts, the 8-1 chance travelled well for Danny Grant, and having taken up the running inside the final furlong, he ran on strongly to beat Queenscliff by half a length.
Fran Berry's search for better ground for Apache Drums almost took him onto the chase track, but the move paid off in the Goresbridge Handicap as the 9-2 favourite fended off Regal Tramp by two and a quarter lengths.< Naked Cowboy (9-2) produced a tremendous charge in the final furlong to land division one of the Kilkenny Handicap under Shane Foley, while the second division went to 25-1 chance On The Loose who just held off Night Singer to score under Ben Curtis.
