The recent tradition of the Galway Plate catapulting relatively unheralded young jockeys to public prominence continued yesterday as 20-year-old Donagh Meyler steered the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Lord Scoundrel to victory in the Ballybrit showpiece.

The gods sent the sun yesterday — well, kind of — as the real racing business of the week arrived: the Galway Plate.

On an otherwise uneventful afternoon at Limerick racecourse, the drama came in the stewards’ room following the two-mile handicap hurdle, as jockey Barry Geraghty, sensationally, received a 30-day ban – one which rules him out of the Punchestown festival - following his ride on runner-up Noble Emperor.

Kerry Lee will be praying for a rainy Easter as she contemplates running Russe Blanc in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on March 28.

The feature on this afternoon’s card at Thurles is the Grade 2 Michael Purcell Memorial and the very promising Our Duke can follow up his maiden hurdle victory. Jessica Harrington’s six-year-old looked really smart when running away with a bumper which has worked out quite well, and then lost little in defeat behind Death Duty in another race which has had its form franked.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins won the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle for the fourth time in five years when Bellshill, ridden by Ruby Walsh, proved an impressive twelve lengths winner of yesterday’s feature in Navan.

Work continues apace at Willie’s yard as the load on the winter horses increases but, as anticipated, it’s still relatively quiet with regard to entries.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Sadler’s Risk belied his relative inexperience over fences when taking an eventful renewal of the Ladbrokes Munster National yesterday afternoon at Limerick racecourse.

Willie Mullins appears to hold most of the aces in the Navan Novice Hurdle on Sunday, with Shaneshill, Outlander, Killultagh Vic and Killer Crow among the 12 entries.

Apparently struggling before the third last and under pressure after the next, Taglietelle came through strongly to collar front-running, odds-on favourite Orgilgo Bay at the final flight in the Follow Us On Twitter And Facebook Rated Hurdle, before forging clear to slam Art Of Payroll by five and a half lengths at Punchestown yesterday.

Bryan Cooper, who returned to action after a six-month absence in Limerick on Sunday, was back in the winner’s enclosure when Lord Scoundrel, in the colours of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud, captured the opening irishinjuredjockeys.com Maiden Hurdle in Punchestown yesterday.

Moonlight Boy can enjoy a turn in the opening Keywest Play Live 20th June Maiden Hurdle at Limerick this afternoon.

Willie Mullins’ Killer Crow is fancied to land an intriguing Bumper at Cork this afternoon.

Veteran trainer Bill Harney can enjoy a turn with Bonzo Bing in the Lisronagh Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel this afternoon.

Tom Cooper’s Chute Hall can leave a frustrating run of three seconds in a row behind by landing the Cashel Maiden Hurdle at Thurles this afternoon.

Philip Fenton, one of the quiet men of Irish racing, hasn’t half emerged with real credit over the last ten days or so.

The Willie Mullins-trained Turban romped to a convincing six lengths win over gambled-on favourite Competitive Edge in the €100,000 The Underwriting Exchange Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase in Fairyhouse yesterday.