A mechanical breakdown to one of the ambulances on duty resulted in a near half-hour delay before yesteday's meeting at Down Royal finally got under way, and when it did it was Dermot Weld who stole the show with a mixed double.
Darialann set the ball rolling when scoring with the minimum of fuss under Paul Carberry in the Maze hurdle and is now a 'possible' for the English Cesarewitch according to Weld, speaking by telephone.
The 2/7 favourite saw off Insan Magic by two lengths, and the brace was completed when the well-supported La Stellina comfortably took the Purdysburn Race to give stable jockey Pat Smullen his seventieth winner of the campaign.
Johnny Murtagh made sure his trip north proved worthwhile when also scoring twice, although he required the assistance of the stewards in the Glenman Corporation Claiming Race.
Here, his mount Synchronize went down by a rapidly-diminishing short-head to Landofheartsdesire but was awarded the race after the stewards ruled that
the winner had impeded him.
Earlier, Murtagh was seen at his best when driving Lucky Bet to a 3/4-length success in the Scottish Equitable Jockeys Association Handicap.
'That's Johnny's first winner for me,' said delighted trainer Irene Oakes, who is enjoying one of her best seasons to date. 'We're both from Meath, so hopefully the county's luck will hold until Sunday !' she added.
Bless 'Im, turned out quickly after his victory at Fairyhouse on Wednesday, was made 13/8 favourite for the Down Royal handicap hurdle, but had to settle for third behind Classic Lash.
The five year-old, one of six runners from the Philip Rothwell stable, stayed on well to head Moll Hackabout inside the last for a 1 1/2 length triumph.
'I'm not sure where he'll run next as there is no suitable race for him at Listowel,' said the trainer. 'They only seem to be catering for the better-class horses there, but we'll try to find something elsewhere.'
