COLM'S ROCK, winner of the Carroll Hurdle at Dundalk in May, landed the Bar- 1 Racing Galway Hurdle Trial with the minimum of fuss at the same venue yesterday.
The six-year-old edged on from front-running Fane Path, over the penultimate flight, and stretched away to score eased down by Charlie Swan.
Eugene O'Donnell, representing winning trainer Aidan O'Brien, said: "He enjoyed coming off a good pace and is a good sound horse. He loves the fast ground and that's his eight win to date. He will go on now for the Galway Hurdle."
Michael Kinane produced top weight Ancaty with a perfectly timed run to touch off Genial Jenny and Eddie Ahern close home in the Dunleer Handicap. The winner provided Curragh trainer Michael Halford with his fifth winner of the current flat campaign.
"She loves left-handed tracks and the good ground and I'll try to find another handicap for her," said Halford. The five-year-old filly is owned by the four-member, Kildare-based Talk Of The Town Syndicate.
P J Finn, who last saddled a winner in this country in 1990 on Derby day with Flustered before emigrating to England, saddled North Tipp to land a nice touch under Ken Hartnett in the opening Annagassan Maiden Hurdle.
Finn, who renewed his licence last September, said, "I have six horses in training on the Curragh and he will turn out again at Tipperary on Thursday before heading on to Galway."
Fran Ennis saddled Forest Princess to follow up on her recent Wexford success when landing the Blackrock Handicap under Pat Smullen. The Offaly rider, who incurred a three-day whip ban which forced him to miss Derby day at the Curragh when scoring on the filly last month, edged to the front before the furlong pole and kept her up to her task to comfortably beat Mountain Rocket.
Ennis, who also works as a stalls handler on the racing circuit as well as training horses, said: "I might step her down in trip to maybe a mile or a mile and one for her next handicap as she shows plenty of toe at home.
Smullen went on to complete a double in the Castlebellingham Handicap when he sprinted clear on the John Oxx-trained Islamorada to come home clear of, Rustic Memory.
Meanwhile, 8,000 peopled turned out at Leopardstown on Saturday for what is currently the last Saturday evening meeting scheduled for this year.
Riding honours went to John Murtagh, who recorded a treble for his boss John Oxx, coutesy of Ayers Rock, Abandonment and Private Chapel.
