Trainer Michael Halford took the honours when saddling a mixed double, with Shamash and Shadagann in Sligo last night.

With the Galway Festival getting underway on Monday, there is just one meeting in Ireland this weekend and, unsurprisingly, it’s modest fare which should urge similar scale investment from punters.

Last Saturday at Naas the stewards flexed their collective muscles when a mare called Mount Corkish Girl was the medium of an inquiry, after finishing eighth of 25 in the maiden hurdle won by the impressive Free Expression.

Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen struck again when Carla Bianca landed the featured Naas Oaks Trial in Naas last night.

Antrim 1-17 London 2-7

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Indian Maharaja, the first foal of Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Again, proved the star of last night’s action in Gowran Park, storming home an impressive six-and-a-half lengths winner of the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Maiden, the season’s first juvenile event over a mile.

Sky Lantern sealed her credentials as a possible contender for Classic honours next year when justifying a supplementary entry to win the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

Sky Lantern, confidently handled by Richard Hughes, oozed class as she proved a facile winner of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.

Doubles for jockeys Chris Hayes and Rory Cleary, a brace for Curragh trainer Jim Gorman and a hard-earned win for the Willie Mullins-trained hot-pot Blackstairmountain proved the highlights of last night’s flat action in Bellewstown, where ground condition turned soft after heavy showers before and during racing.

The 14,147 members of the Eircom employee share ownership plan (ESOP) will be issued with a cheque for up to €8,000 today.

Willie Mullins is looking forward to saddling Barker for the first time in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase at Downpatrick on Wednesday.

Glencove Marina made a big splash in the ante-post markets on the Cheltenham Festival after running out a deeply impressive winner of the Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

James Barrett and Timmy Murphy combined to win the Pierse Hurdle with 10-1 chance Barker.

JAMES Barrett expects a bold show from Barker when he unleashes the improving seven-year-old in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

MOSSBANK, so impressive when winning the Munster National at Limerick, stepped up in class in spectacular fashion to land the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

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