Sports Digest: Robert Splaine gave Cheltenham Champion Chase winning trainer John Murphy a second success within 24 hours when steering his horse Merlin's Magic to victory on the Spanish Sunshine Tour on Thursday.
Peter Charles then had his moment in the spotlight in the following class, before Neal Fearon made it an Irish hat-trick in yesterday's feature class.
Splaine galloped Merlin's Magic across the finish line in 29.22 seconds to claim the two-phase honours, just under half a second ahead of fellow Irishman Peter Charles and Johnny Jumper.
Charles then went one better in the following speed class to make it an Irish double when winning with Rockstar in a time of 67.44 seconds.
O'Hagan and Nulty best
Veteran rider Mick Nulty and former national women's road race champion Julie O'Hagan made best use of the advantage given to their group in yesterday's St Patrick's Day race in Batterstown, going clear of the rest of the limit bunch, working strongly together, and finishing first and second in the handicap event, writes Shane Stokes.
Stagg's Lucan rider Alan Carey jumped clear to take third, while Kevin Donagher (McNally Swords) beat Brian Hammond (Usher IRC) for fourth.
Meanwhile John O'Shea (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) beat Ray Clarke (Worldwide Cycles Clonmel) and Michael Hennessey (Fermoy CC) in the Carraig Hotel Challenge Cup in Carrick on Suir.
Rules series for women
The Women's Gaelic Football Association yesterday negotiated a deal which will see the first ever women's International Rules Series between Ireland and Australia take place this autumn.
The association revealed the news after negotiations with their Australian counterparts in Singapore yesterday during the TG4 O'Neill's All Star tour.
The series will take place in Ireland with the first Test taking place on October 31st and the second on November 4th.
Both games will take place under lights - with one confirmed for Parnell Park in Dublin and the second taking place in Cork or Galway. TG4 will screen both Tests live and there have been a number of rule changes agreed which differ from the men's game.
