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Review tramore 14th Aug
Fran Berry kept up his challenge for the jockeys' title with a treble at Tramore.
With leader Pat Smullen riding in France and second-placed Johnny Murtagh in action in England, Berry grasped the opportunity to make up some ground on his rivals in the championship race.
He kicked off his hat-trick aboard the John Oxx-trained O'Bella Ballerina (1-2 favourite) in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.
A half-sister to classy performers Millenary and Let The Lion Roar, O'Bella Ballerina finally came good at the sixth time of asking with a short head verdict over Valbucca
Berry said: "My filly won despite not liking the ground. We went slow and I probably didn't make enough use of her. She got headed by a head or a neck about a furlong out but she battled back well.
"She is a very well-bred filly so it was important to get a bracket for her."
Berry then made it 58 wins for the year as Fammi Sognare (9-4) triumphed in the Mcdonald Brothers Handicap.
Winning trainer Tony Mullins said: "For a heavy-set filly we thought she wanted a cut in the ground, but she's won twice on firm now so what we thought doesn't count. If it stays fast she'll go for another flat race.
"The plan though is to make a three-year-old hurdler out of her. She is tough and robust with a great temperament."
Mullins' Decoy Daddy completed Berry's trio with victory in the www.tramore-racecourse.com Maiden.
The Mervyn Torrens-trained Isabellareine (3-1)followed up her Galway Festival win by landing the Starbets.ie Handicap.
He said: "I don't know where she'll go now but any of those two-mile staying races are there for her.
"She'll most likely go for a hurdle again though as long as the ground stays fast."
Danny Grant was aboard that winner and he added to his tally as he partnered the Pat Flynn-trained Prince Chaparral (7-4) in the Madra Dog Foods Handicap.
"He is an improving horse and I think he'll be a real good hurdle horse though he won't be one for deep ground," said Flynn, who earlier saddled Final Flashback to land