CHARLIE SWAN, who was crowned champion for the seventh consecutive season which concluded last Saturday, opened his new National Hunt seasonal account when landing the featured Stanley Racing Handicap hurdle on Colm's Rock, at a sparsely attended Tralee yesterday.
After cruising to the lead approaching the penultimate flight, his task was eased somewhat when nearest pursuer Bob the Yank fell, leaving Aidan O'Brien's six-year-old to come home unchallenged from his remaining rival, Step on Eyre.
Joe Crowley, father in law of the winning trainer, said: "He'll be aimed for the Galway Hurdle. We were very worried about the ground (firm) but he seemed to handle it well."
Crowley went on to criticise the going saying: "It's quite inexcusable to have ground like that. I am very disappointed and how do they expect to get a crowd if they have three runner races like that."
The champion trainer, O'Brien, had a double spoiled in the concluding bumper when Brian Crowley stopped riding 50 yards from the line, after he mistook the finishing line when just about to join Dark Magic and Charmaine O'Neill, proving a costly mistake for favourite backers.
Following an investation by the stewards Crowley (16) was banned for seven days for failing to ride out a finish in the closing stages.
Willie Mull ins reported that his father's useful hurdler Noble Thyme will run in the Prix de Barka hurdle over two miles and five furlongs in Auteul in France on Wednesday. This race, won by Paddy Mullins's Dawn Run in 1984, is a prep race for the French champion hurdle.
bum Bolger and Kevin Manning are enjoying a fruitful spell this season, and they combined for a double at a very well attended Sligo yesterday. Bold Hunter started the ball rolling in the Strandhill Maiden when winning in effortless fashion. The Polish Precedent colt (13 to 8 favourite) made all and cruised home in the straight for a 10-length success over Moon Rose.
Manning moved on to the 24-winner mark for the season when just coming out best in a desperately close finish to the concluding Foleys Bar Handicap on Da Silva. The five-year-old got the better of Global Diamond and Nazmi by two short-heads.
Punters got off to a great start in the Yeats Maiden Hurdle when Toy's Away landed a gamble for the Tony Martin stable. The Archway gelding, backed from 9 to 2 to 2 to 1 favourite, was well handled by amateur Robbie McNally whose previous two wins on the track were in hunter chases.
