Tipperary Racing Scene

Rachael Blackmore shared the first winner at Leopardstown on Monday week last with trainer Henry de Bromhead as the odds-on favourite Koktail Divin scored a comfortable success in the two and a half-mile maiden hurdle.

Owned by Barry Maloney, the odds-on favourite led off the home bend and pulled away to beat the Pat Collins-trained Champagne Kid by six lengths.

Fethard amateur rider Hannah Phillips recorded her first winner on the racecourse when landing the mares’ handicap hurdle over the same distance on the Liz Lalor-trained Maid On The Moon.

A 20/1 shot in the colours of owner Thomas Keating, the eight-year-old led after the third-last hurdle and was left clear at the final flight to win by an easy fourteen lengths from the Claire O’Connell-trained Glenetty.

Toomevara trainer Ray Hackett and Littleton’s Liam Quinlan combined to win the near two-mile maiden hurdle with the six-year-old Nowwhatdoyouthink at Thurles on Thursday. The 8/1 chance, in the trainer’s own colours, led at the final hurdle and held off the Rachael Blackmore-ridden Joueuse Royale, trained by Henry de Bromhead, by half a length.

Cian Quirke was next into the winners’ enclosure as the Aengus King-owned and trained Tasmanian Girl took the handicap hurdle over the same distance. Although a 40/1 chance, there was no fluke about her success and she had a little in hand when beating the Julie Cashin-trained Navy Waves by two and a quarter lengths with Gavin Cromwell’s favourite Cowper Hall half a length away in third place after making a mistake at the last.

The David Marnane-trained Amemri completed a hat-trick of course and distance wins when landing the seven-furlong handicap at Dundalk on Friday.

With Luke McAteer again in the saddle, the 11/2 chance led a furlong out to beat Stephen Thorne’s Pink Oxalis by half a length in the colours of the winning trainer’s wife Melanie.

At Gowran Park on Saturday, Burnchurch trainer Martin Hassett won the two-mile handicap hurdle with 10/1 chance Battle Of Ridgeway. Racing up with the pace under Liam McKenna, the seven-year-old gained a definite advantage after the fourth-last hurdle and he drew clear before the finial flight to win by an easy nine lengths from Brilliant Question.

Mark Cahill was next into the winners’ enclosure as he took the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle with the Phillip Enright-ridden John The Diva. Owned by the trainer’s brother Paul, the eight-year-old battled well to see off Denise Foster’s Smackwater Jack by a neck, his second win almost exactly a year after his first.

Upcoming Meetings

Limerick – Thursday, March 13 (First race 12.30pm)

Dundalk – Friday, March 14 (First race 4.30pm)

Thurles – Saturday, March 15 (First race 1.55pm)

Curragh – Sunday, March 16 (First race 1.40pm)