OUR BEN, who came into yesterday’s featured Wilf Dooly Chase at Tramore in the form of his life, suffered a fatal fall when breaking his neck at the second last.

THE Christy Roche-trained Cool Running, who got off the mark over fences at Punchestown earlier in the month, outclassed his rivals in the Seamus Weldon Novice Chase at Killarney last night.

Aran Concerto could be heading to Cheltenham with the tag of “Irish Banker” around his neck after an effortless success in the Grade One Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

ERIC MCNAMARA’S Larkwing booked his place at Cheltenham with a smooth success in the Bothar Hibernian Maiden Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

ROBBIE McNAMARA, who celebrated his 18th birthday last week, has made a tremendous impression since joining the Dermot Weld yard.

CONSIDERING the dreadful weather for much of the week, the hugely successful seven-day Listowel Festival was completed in style yesterday, with the overall attendance a highly satisfactory 87,000.

KEVIN COLEMAN and Niki O'Shea made it another Irish one-two in the Australia v Ireland Hurdle at Melbourne track Sandown yesterday.

THE LAST HURRAH produced a gutsy performance to defy top weight in the featured Dawn Milk Run Handicap Hurdle at the final stage of a hugely successful Killarney Festival yesterday.

ERIC McNAMARA'S Mareoflot took her total to three wins in four races with a smooth victory in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase at Cork on Saturday.

DAVY RUSSELL consolidated his position in the jockeys’ championship when taking his tally for the campaign to 63 aboard Tiarella in the Murray O’Laoire Architects Mares Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

PRACTICE MATCH, one of three horses Eric McNamara trains for J P McManus, toyed with the opposition on the way to winning the Coffey Construction Beginners Chase at Limerick yesterday.

TOP amateur jockey Derek O'Connor starred on the second day of the Limerick festival yesterday with a double that included Coolnahilla's victory in the featured Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase.

OSCAR’S ADVANCE proved far too good for Drunken Disorderly in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Novice Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

KIEREN FALLON, suffering from a sore neck, missed Cork yesterday and was replaced aboard Beauty Bright in the opening Coolmore Stud Choisir EBF Maiden by Ballydoyle apprentice, Sean Levey.

PAT SMULLEN, who will ride Grey Swallow in the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Newbury today, enjoyed a timely boost at Fairyhouse last night when completing a double for his boss Dermot Weld on Gripping and Wildnerness Bay.

Pat Keane

JOHNNY EGAN made a successful first visit to Cork Racecourse yesterday when guiding Slip Dance to a smooth victory in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Race.

Pat Keane

MICHAEL HOURIGAN, a trainer who has not been slow to criticise jockeys in the past, described Paul Carberry as a “genius” after the brilliant rider had partnered the Limerick handler’s The Screamer to win the Smithwicks’ Handicap Hurdle at Listowel yesterday.

ROYAL ALPHABET, lucky to survive a blunder at the second, subsequently toyed with his rivals on the way to taking the Ballynonty Novice Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.