HOTEL MINELLA, at prohibitive odds to make a winning debut over fences in yesterday's four-runner Tralee Vintners Beivedere Trophy Beginners Chase, unseated rider Richard Dunwoody at the first. After Sandy Forest Lady and How's It Goin had also unseated their riders at the next, Majestic Mariner was left in front and there he remained despite a series of blunders to beat the remounted Sandy Forest Lady.

Last away, Hotel Minella flew the first fence but slipped on landing. He appeared to lose his hind legs, leaving Dunwoody with little chance of staying aboard.

No sooner had Sandy Forest Lady stumbled badly alongside How's It Goin when Shane Broderick jumped to his feet, grabbed his mount and remounted. Of course he hadn't an earthly of catching Majestic Mariner who was soon a couple of fences ahead of him. That is unless Majestic Mariner fell.

He did his best to do just that. However, he had to reckon with that intrepid horseman Conor O'Dwyer who managed to keep him on his feet fence after fence and especially at the third last when he was all but pitched from the saddle.

In winning the featured Kerry Petroleum Shell Handicap, Gan Saru completed a double for inform trainer Pat Flynn initiated by Swift Cert in the opener. Successful in his maiden at Roscommon, the Niall McCullagh partnered Gan Saru got the better of bottom weight Back For Good by three parts of a length. "He's lazy, immature and weak but he's a real good horse. He has Triumph Hurdle written all over him," said Flynn, nominating the Irish Cesarewitch for his up-and-coming three-year-old charge.

Gerry Moylan landed the opening Derrinstown Apprentice Series Handicap on Swift Cert who had run well at Galway. Slipping through on the rails 1 1/2 furlongs out, the winner drew clear to score by 3 1/2 lengths. He may reappear tomorrow in a mile and three furlong handicap.

Con Collins invariably does well at this meeting and Lower The Tone made most of the running to win the Kellihers Garage Liberator Handicap.

Trevor Horgan won the Mount Brandon Hotel Handicap Hurdle on the Tom Taaffe trained Katiymann who led from pillar to post.

The stewards received a report that apprentices Eddie Ahern and Robbie Fitzpatrick were yesterday seen in possession of a betting ticket. Both admitted to having been involved in a transact ion, with Fitzpatrick accepting responsibility. The stewards suspended Ahern for three days and Fitzpatrick for six days.

Apparently, Fitzpatrick, who was changing to ride in the first race, asked Ahern to collect winnings of £9.50 on a tote bet, struck by Fitzpatrick's mother at Tipperary on Thursday.