Ger Cully and Tommy O'Neill both saddled their first winner under rules for over two years when successful with No Small Plans and Mose Harper respectively at Downpatrick on Wednesday afternoon.
"I'm giving this training game another go this season, and have about 15 nice young horses in at the moment," said Cully after No Small Plans justified good support in the 2m6f maiden hurdle. Andrew Leigh (19) recorded his second win when rousting the evens fav through a gap on the far rail inside Dublin Hunter on the run-in to beat that rival by a head.
North County Dublin trainer Tommy O'Neill also bridged a two-year winner-less gap in the handicap chase with the Joey Elliott-ridden Mose Harper. The 11yo failed to complete in the Czech Republic's Velka Pardubicka last month, but had enough in reserve on the run-in to hold the challenge of Kergaul by 3 1/2L.
Live Our Dreams got his chasing career off to a winning start in the 2m2f event, although Niall Madden's charge had his task greatly eased by fancied pair Woodys Deep Ocean and the ill-fated Jolly Moonbeam falling early.
Conor O'Dwyer's mount still appeared set for second after the last but Jupiter Hollow weakened on the final climb leaving Live Our Dreams to eventually come home a cosy 4 1/2L victor. "He jumps really well, and will continue novice chasing," said Madden.
Madden's son and namesake kept up his profitable association with the Noel Meade stable when newcomer Deep Return led inside the final half mile to land the bumper.
Lorenzetti made virtually all in the 4yo maiden hurdle, and kept on under pressure from the last under Larry Hurley to beat the staying on Polly's Joy by a 1 1/2L. The General Monash gelding is proving a real bargain having cost connections just €1,000at last year's Horses In Training sale in Goffs.
In-from trainer Eamonn Sheehy added to his tally when Spiralbound took the opportunity handicap hurdle in the hands of champion claimer Keith Hadnett .
The six-year-old was sporting blinkers for the first time, and was prominent throughout to beat favourite Coccinelle by two lengths. Brunker Buoy overcame a severe bump by a rider-less horse at the second last to take the three miles beginners chase under David Casey.
The Suzanne Cox-trained gelding was hit in mid-air by earlier casualty Carneys Cross but got going again to beat Changed Times by a length.
Filed by James McMahon
