It was a great day for favourite-backers and for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen at Tipperary, as his double was topped with the impressive performance of Notable Graduate in landing the Curragh Racecourse Members Maiden.
Taking up the running after the turn for home, the 2-5 market leader shot clear, and though newcomer Kasanka ran on well for second, Smullen did not have to go into overdrive to score.< Anderiego showed the benefit of a recent run when powering to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for three-year-olds.< Burn The Floor tried to stay with Weld's 4-5 favourite, but the recent Curragh fourth relished this step up in trip and ran on to score by three lengths.
Weld and Smullen's bid for a treble in the Follow Tipperary on Facebook Race was thwarted by Charles Byrnes' Pittoni (11-8 favourite), who made every yard of the running under Johnny Murtagh.< Tough As Nails lost in the stewards' room on his debut at the Curragh, but there was no doubt at all in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
Michael Mulvaney's runner was always to the fore under Gary Carroll, before stretching clear before the two furlong pole.< Boris Grigoriev briefly threatened to make a race of it, but Carroll administered a single crack of the whip at the furlong marker and the 6-4 favourite shot clear to win by seven lengths.
Katherine O'Brien made a welcome first return to the winner's enclosure since her horrific fall last August when she guided Joe Fogarty's Kateeva (16-1) to victory in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap.
Christy Roche's Park Ranger (9-4 favourite) took the Tipperary Vintage Rally On Easter Sunday Handicap under Fran Berry, while the Join The Tipperary Supporters Club 2011 Handicap went to 14-1 shot Tinas Exhibition giving Carroll a double on the day.
