McConnell and Delaney on the double at Bellewstown

Meath connections had great success at Bellewstown over the two day August meeting.

There was four Meath trained winners at Bellewstown on Wednesday. John McConnell was on form and he was in the winners enclosure twice while Ian Donoghue and Eamonn Delaney also had success at the popular Meath track. 24 hours previous on Tuesday, Delaney also had a winner which was part of a Colin Keane treble. Gordon Elliott had his only winner of the the two day meeting in the bumper on day one

McConnell kicked off proceedings for Meath connections with a winner in the second race as Jackson Lamb landed the Irish EBF Auction maiden hurdle under Alex Harvey.

The forward going son of El Salvador made all and was always in control of this contest. There were few anxious moments throughout this race for the short favourite, but he did get away with a novicey leap at the second last before he went on to score by five and a half lengths.

Is She Real completed the double for McConnell and gave Lelia Byrne her first winner at the track in the concluding bumper. The 5/2 shot showed real gears over two furlongs out to hit the front and she went on with ease to give the Ratoath jockey her first success.

Knockraha Eagle went one better for Ian Donoghue than his latest second behind Mephisto, when he captured the Handicap Hurdle. Jockey, James Smith, produced the strong travelling, 4/1 joint favourite after the second last to lead. He was idling in front when ridden out after the last to score by two and a quarter lengths.

Birmingham Alabama stayed on strongly to land the Bective Stud handicap hurdle for Eamonn Delaney. The mare was positioned behind the leaders throughout most of this contest, before being switched right by Jordan Gainford after the second last to produce her challenge. The 9/2 well-backed favourite kept on well in the straight to score by two and three-quarters lengths.

It was Delaney’s second winner at the track in the space of 24 hours when Escaping TheJungle completed a treble for Colin Keane. Keane bounced out in front on the 7/1 shot and she was soon pressed by Fair Taxes in the five furlong contest. It was a ding-dong battle between the pair in the closing stages with Delany’s mare just prevailing by a short-head.

In the opener, Colin Keane rode a winner for Joseph Murphy aboard Touted Plan. Keane kept the Advertise filly going in the closing stages to post a cosy two-and-three-quarter length victory. The Trim jockey then had success for Ger Lyons aboard Empress Artemis The consistent filly had been runner-up on her previous three outings and went on to score as a convincing winner at odds of 9/4.

Highly rated National Hunt horse Zanahiyr scored for Gordon Elliott and Bective Stud in the concluding handicap on day one. Zanahiyr was following up on a chase success at Galway last time and is now set to head to the American Grand National.