On a glorious summer evening at Down Royal Grand National winning trainer Gordon Elliot produced Salford City to win for the first time since landing a flat race at Belmont Park in September 2005. The six-year old gelding who was fifth in the Epsom Derby back in 2004 got up to land the opening opportunity hurdle by half a length under Conor Maxwell.
The 2/1 shot travelled much better then 7/4 favourite Lazio with two flights to jump but the latter wouldn't go away and battled all the way to the line, just failing under a determined Sean Flanagan.
'The good ground and making the running was a help tonight. Joint owner Adam Lord who bought him from America brought him to me about six months ago. He jumps a fence great and that will probably be a long term plan,' remarked Elliot.
Last season's champion claimer Chris Hayes partnered his ninth winner of the current campaign aboard 2/5 favourite Divert, trained by Eddie Lynam. The odds on favourite gave her followers little to fear when jumping out of stall eight to score by two lengths in the colours of Lady O Reilly.
The winner was eased down at the finish and Eddie Lynam revealed future plans, 'The ground was very quick and Chris had to mind her a bit so we will see how she is in the morning and decide where to go next. She is entered at Leopardstown on Wednesday but we like Scotland and could go to a Listed Fillies race over five furlongs which we won last year.'
Edgewardstown trainer Leo Temple saddled his first ever winner on the track when Inch Sunset and Adrian Lane just did enough to win the O2 Best For Business Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. Prominent throughout under Lane the winner took up proceedings jumping the second last flight and held on by three parts of a length to hold front runner Nine Inch Nail and Dennis Hogan. It was a red-letter day for Lane who was having his 55th winner, thus riding out his claim.
'It is my first winner on the track and I only have the licence about six months. We will go for another handicap now and step her up in trip as she wants further,' revealed the restricted licence holder.
Joanna Morgan is the trainer to follow having now saddled five winners in as many days and eight in the last 12. Bahhare Dessert was the latest to return to the winner's enclosure and she was making a quick reappearance having won at Ballinrobe on Tuesday. It was an eight winner for Amy Parsons who was also aboard the filly on Tuesday and Joanna Morgan revealed there would be another quick return to the track.
'She is in on Sunday at Listowel and Wednesday at Leopardstown and we will see how she is in the morning before deciding where to go. She is a filly who is full of confidence since she ran in Tipperary and Amy is a very underrated jockey. It is a great run and long may it continue.'
Invincible Woman was an impressive winner of the opening flat race of the evening, a five-furlong maiden, in the hands of Niall McCullagh for trainer Frances Crowley. The Invincible Spirit filly made most of the running before going on to score by seven lengths at odds of 3/1.
Glorificamus trained by Michael Cunningham went one better than when second at Gowran Park last time out to land the seven-furlong maiden in the colours of John Stewart. It was a fifth ever career win for seven pound claiming jockey Mark Flanagan who had his mount up with the leaders throughout before kicking for home inside the final furlong holding 5/4 favourite Out Of The Red by a length.
The concluding race on the card was won by 11/2 shot Five Two ridden by Kevin Manning and trained by Tony Martin in the colours of the W T Racing Syndicate.
By Niall Cronin
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