Pat Flynn and young apprentice Tom Queally both recorded personal milestones when teaming up for a double with Pilgrim Star and Rainbow Realm in front of a crowd of 7,500 on day three of the Festival meeting at Tramore.
Queally (15) is enjoying a remarkable first season in the saddle, and brought his tally to 12 with a first ever double on the Flynn-trained pair. Pilgrim Star led before the furlong pole in the Glenpatrick Spring Water Handicap and, despite idling a bit in front, kept on to beat Biddy Blackhurst by two lengths.
Flynn saddled the 400th winner of his career half-an-hour later when Rainbow Realm justified good support in the Queally Group EBF Fillies Handicap. The three-year-old also struck the front on the uphill rise to the final furlong for a neck victory over Shvera and, like Pilgrim Star, is likely to be part of the Flynn team at the Tralee Festival next week.
The Carrick-On-Suir trainer was denied a treble in the bumper when the 7 to 4 favourite Native Kin failed by a neck to peg back Mandy's Trix.
Brancardier made virtually all under Martin Dunne in the opening Dawn Meats (QR) Handicap Hurdle, stretching clear after three out for an easy 15 length success over Miss Information. "He needs hard ground, and will go chasing soon," said Berry.
Meanwhile, at Dundalk, 20year-old Meath jockey Alan Fagan had his first winner over hurdles when the highly consistent Fraser Carey scored in the Mourne Opportunity Handicap Hurdle yesterday.
The son of Dermot Fagan, head lad to John Fowler, young Fagan brought Fraser Carey with a strong run two hurdles from home to see off the attentions of Teknash.
Trainer Declan Gillespie said: "That's Fraser Carey's third win over hurdles. He has been a great servant to the stable and he won here on the Flat. He also scored at Down Royal, Wexford and Bellewstown. He will probably run again shortly."
Michael Kinane teamed up with trainer Pat Hughes to win the Ballagan Handicap with Silver Spray, who was running for the fourth time inside a fortnight. Silver Spray had finished first, second and third at the Galway Festival and yesterday he stayed on well when challenged by the Pat Flynn-trained Freya.
Hughes said: "Silver Spray has never been out of the money in handicaps. We'll have to find something for him at Tralee."
