Double puts Geraghty on 27 for the season
Geraghty had to work hard on the Joanna Morgan-trained Rocking Ship to land the Max Premium Dog Food Handicap Chase at the expense of Blumen Archie.
Tommy Ryan drove the runner-up into a clear lead after the second last fence. But Geraghty galvanised his mount to give chase before challenging at the final fence, edging ahead early on the run-in and drawing away.
Winning trainer Morgan expressed the hope that Rocking Ship, a six-year-old owned by the Clare Connection Syndicate, will be capable of building on this second chasing success, now that he has recovered from a confidence-damaging fall at Galway.
Geraghty followed-up, bringing his seasonal tally to 27, on the Jessica Harrington-trained Johnjoe’s Express in the Sponsor A Race At Kilbeggan Beginners Chase.
The 2/1 favourite, carrying the famous Dorans Pride colours of Mayo-born Tom Doran, scored convincingly from his chief market rival Columba, making amends for a recent mishap on his chasing debut at Cork, and should go on to better things over the bigger obstacles.
Alota Baby, which landed a tidy gamble at Ballinrobe recently, followed-up for County Limerick trainer Charles Byrnes in the Westmeath Leinster Champions Handicap Hurdle.
Davy Russell tracked the leaders on the eight-year-old mare before jumping past Cratloe Castle at the second last and stretching clear for an emphatic win.
Ruby Walsh, a clear leader in the Jockeys Championship race, notched his 49th winner of the season when landing the opening www.kilbegganraces.com Maiden Hurdle on the Michael Hourigan-trained Euro Flyer. Walsh was expected to complete a double on odds-on favourite Time To Roam in the Mullingar Novice Hurdle. But the Dermot Weld-trained four-year-old couldn’t get to grips with She’s So Dainty, a recent course winner trained by Donal Coffey and enterprisingly ridden by claimer Andrew McNamara.
