Flanagan in Festival winners' enclosure as Meade records a Fairyhouse double

Sean Flanagan enjoyed an Easter Sunday winner at the Fairyhouse Festival when he was on the mark as part of a double for Castletown trainer Noel Meade.

Flanagan was on board the Gigginstown-owned Bel Ami De Sivola in the  €50,000 Grade B novice handicap chase taking the lead going to the final fence to win by over a length from the Willie Mullins-trained Bon Papa.

"I told Eddie (O’Leary) before the race we were going to change tactics and hold him up today, he wasn’t too impressed about that plan, but he said to me after the race that’s why you are the trainer," Meade commented in a post-race interview.

Tomorrow, Flanagan will be on board Snow Falcon in the National for Meade and the Castletown man is also represented by Moulin A Vent in the big race.

Nina Carberry made it a double for the Castletown hanlder when guiding Pat's Pick to victory in the Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper in the concluding race on the card today at Fairyhouse.

Pat's Pick won from Black Tears and Yukon Lil  to give the trainer the oening day double after Bel Ami De Sivola won the novice handicap chase.

Meade was also on the mark at Cork to make it three on the day when landing the bumper with first time out Impatient Partner which had run in two point to points last year.