Desertmore Steam and Brian O'Connell in full flow© Photo Healy Racing
Philip Fenton hasn't been having the best of times off the track of late and Desertmore Stream gave him a welcome tonic in the Kilbeggan Patrons Club Hurdle at Kilbeggan.
A winner at the Galway Festival, the Gigginstown-owned six-year-old (7-2) could be called the winner some way out as he cruised to the front with Brian O'Connell looking round for non-existent dangers going to the second-last flight.
However, he made an awful hash of jumping the obstacle and had to be rousted along to regain momentum before he saw off the brief threat from favourite Golden Wonder to score by six lengths.
Desertmore Stream's victory completed a double for O'Connell after the success of Garrett Power's mare Lilly The Lioness (8-1), who cleared away from the second-last to win the Pavexpress Handicap Hurdle in untroubled fashion by five lengths.
There was also a double for the trainer-jockey combination of Denis Hogan and Brian Cawley, completed when Dedoctorsdaughter (7-1), who had been held up in rear, swept past favourite Kanesh going to the last in the Bloomfields House Hotel Handicap Chase to score by seven and a half lengths.
Earlier there had been a big turn-up in the Kilbeggan Maiden Hurdle when Hogan's debutante Mysticaltou (66-1) held a decent advantage going to two out under Cawley and couldn't be caught, keeping the fancied Tiger Trek at bay by a length and three-quarters.
The Dessie Hughes-trained veteran Swiftmarc (14-1) answered every call from Ian McCarthy to grab a narrow verdict in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
Always in the first two, the 11-year-old looked in trouble when War Of The Pennys travelled sweetly up to join him going to the second-last, but he dug deep over the final flights and after a battle up the run-in he passed the post a short head in front.
Noel Meade's 9-10 favourite Silver Tassie looked a useful recruit to fencing as he imposed his authority on the Midland Breeders Supporting Kilbeggan Beginners Chase under Denis O'Regan, jumping well and readily coming away from Tis
