Cork hat-trick for Slippers
NIALL 'Slippers' Madden recorded the first treble of his career in the absence of Paul Carberry at Cork last Saturday.
The good news for Noel Meade was that he saddled all three winners, but Carberry missed out because he was riding the Tony Martin-trained Patsy Hall in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr the same day where the partnership came to grief.
The Meade stable has returned to form after an unsuccessful spell and the first leg of the treble was recorded when Sky Hall landed the Mallow Hurdle in good style, beating Coscorrig by eight lengths.
Meade and Madden were back in the winners' enclosure half an hour later when Rochford Bridge stepped up on previous unplaced efforts to win the Cobh Handicap Hurdle.
The three-timer was completed when Shiloh won the Glantane Maiden Hurdle, beating House Of Bourbon by a length and a quarter.
Meade must have fancied his chances of completing a fabulous four-timer at that stage, but 7/4 favourite Go Native, the mount of Nina Carberry, was beaten eight lengths by See U Bob in the bumper.
Paul Carberry missed the Cork meeting on Sunday as a result of the injury sustained in that fall from Patsy Hall and that left the way open for Madden to step in for the ride on the Meade-trained Model Athlete which won the Kanturk Maiden Hurdle by half a length from Sporting Medic.
Robbie Power rode a winner at the same meeting when he partnered the Eric McNamara-trained Prince Picasso to a one and three-quarter length victory from Penny's Bill in a handicap hurdle.
Declan McDonogh enjoyed a double for the Kevin Prendergast stable on the flat at Leopardstown the same day, the feature being the success of Moiqen in the group three Ballysax Stakes. He had earlier won a maiden aboard Vilasol.
Padraig Beggy was on the mark at the same meeting when he partnered the John Geoghegan-trained Monteriggioni to victory in a 10-furlong handicap.
Dean Hill trainer Oliver Finnegan must have been popular with the bookmakers at Dundalk last Thursday evening when he sent out 50/1 shot Naiysan, the mount of Seamus Heffernan, to win a maiden.
Ger Lyons had a success at the same meeting when Pasar Silbano won the opening fillies maiden for claimer EJ McNamara.
The weather was kind to the Roristown Hunter Trials which attracted a huge entry of competitors who galloped and jumped their way over a course which was skilfully designed and built by Kilmessan man Eugene O'Neill.
The venue, centrally located down river from Trim, attracted horse and pony enthusiasts from a wide area who negotiated a one and a half-mile course of woodlands, meadows and boglands.
Household local names on the National Hunt racing scene, including Carberry, Power and Geraghty, were prominent and there was also an impressive gathering of eager amateur participants.
Eighty-year-old Sam Murphy from Longford set a cracking pace with Liz Bloomer, while Hugh Leonard, a serious and much admired supporter of equine events, seemed to have a horse or two in every class.
The event carried an impressive list of prizes provided by Equipet, Navan, the Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim, Trim Castle Hotel, Dunderry Lodge, Dunsany Lodge, Claire Oakes and numerous other local businesses.