Review bellewstown 5th Jul

Ger Lyons and Colin Keane are in a rich vein of form and they teamed up to land a Bellewstown double initiated by the victory of 2-1 favourite Ice Echo in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.

The grey led virtually all the way, but he was strongly challenged through the closing stages by Bleu Ciel Et Rouge and it was a desperately close call, with the winner dipping at just the right time to get the verdict by a nose as they flashed past the post together.

Lyons and Keane doubled up with Body Beautiful (10-3), who showed plenty of guts in the Western Motors Commercial Vehicles Handicap, fighting off one opponent after another from the front before beating Mr Good Guy by half a length.< Unrequited was sent off the favourite to complete a treble for the in-form team in the Woods Financial Services Maiden, but he was worn down close home by Chris Hayes on the Charlie Swan-trained Lady Clitico (10-1), who won by three-quarters of a length.

The evening closed with a fascinating contest for the Eva-Tec Ltd (QR) Race, for which the Aidan O'Brien-trained El Salvador who has been mixing it against considerably stronger opposition, was sent off the 5-4 favourite.< Orgilgo Bay set out to make all and had all bar the market leader beaten as they rounded the bend into the straight, but Sarah O'Brien brought El Salvador with a decisive challenge and won going away by three lengths.

Johnny Murtagh sent out a winner when Arriana (4-1) got away smartly in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden and having been forced to race a little wide, stuck on well to lead going to the furlong pole and score by a length and a quarter under Niall McCullagh.

Gordon Elliott won the Sean Rothwell Construction Handicap with the Mick Hussey-ridden Moonmeister (33-1), who was stuck behind a wall of horses a quarter of a mile out but weaved his way through to pounce close home for a half-length success.