Barry Geraghty and trainer Pat Martin both recorded doubles on the first day of the Tralee Bank Holiday meeting including a shared victory with Confey Lass in the handicap hurdle.
Confey Lass smoothly struck the front before the home turn, and had little difficulty beating Achilles Spirit by four and a half lengths. However the mare could be sidelined for some time after returning to the unsaddling enclosure with a bad cut on her off hind leg.
Rockstown Boy initiated the Geraghty brace half-an-hour earlier when an odds-on chance in the featured novice hurdle. The pace was very sedate till Geraghty grasped the initiative after halfway in this two mile contest, and the five-year-old gelding shrugged off the challenge of market-rival The Boys In Green by two and a half lengths.
'He might have won the Champion Bumper at Punchestown but was badly hampered, and Cheltenham is the dream. He will run over the summer as long as the ground is safe, and could go next over two and a half miles at either Cork or Tipperary,' said Byrnes.
Jason Behan enjoyed a welcome change of fortune when partnering the Pat Martin-trained Monalee Lass to take the 0-70 mile handicap. The five-year-old mare travelled strongly to lead a furlong out and, despite edging right when asked for an effort, kept on to beat Dalriath by a length and a half. 'I missed quite a bit of last season after breaking a bone in my right hand, and that's my first winner for over 18 months. I'm with Jim Bolger this year, and hopefully my luck is changing,' said Behan.
Martin, who may add the mare to his strong team for the annual race-day on the beech at Laytown on Tuesday week, said 'She settled much better today, and the ground was too soft at Killarney last time.'
Thomond O'Mara was a relieved man after saddling his first winner of the season when Kiptanui took the 0-60 mile handicap in good style. The ten-year-old provided in-from rider Wayne Lordan with his fourth success in the last four Flat racing days when quickening up well at the furlong pole to beat Banrion by two and a half lengths.
'The horses have been crippled with a virus, and we closed down for a fortnight until Friday. Kiptanui is our lead horse at home, and that takes a lot of pressure off,' said O'Mara.
Mwaley survived a stewards enquiry after leading between horses inside the final furlong under Danny Grant to beat Pepperwood and Conspiring by three quarters of a length and the same. 'I may give her a little break to freshen her up, and then go back handicapping providing she's not too harshly treated for this, 'said trainer Kevin O'Brien of the well-backed 5/1 chance.
Yayo overcame a six months lay-off in the two miles handicap chase, heading the front-running Dunmanogue on the run-in to score by a length and a half.
Alan Magee
