Gordon Elliott wasted little time in adding to his Aintree success when the Jack Kennedy-ridden Douglas DC won the opening maiden hurdle at Tramore on Monday. It was all too easy for the 4/7 favourite which was clear between the final two flights as he beat the Joseph O'Brien-trained Igraine by five and a half lengths in the colours of owner David Spratt.
Kennedy was also among the winners at Fairyhouse on Saturday, getting the Easter Festival off to a winning start on the Noel Meade-trained Bugs Moran in the three-mile handicap hurdle. The 10/1 chance looked up against it as Joseph O'Brien’s Eric Bloodaxe skipped a few lengths clear over the final hurdle but Kennedy’s patience paid off as the five-year-old swept by to win by a length and three-parts in the colours of owner Jack Singleton.
Bryan Cooper landed the Easter Sunday feature race at Cork where he partnered Melon, trained by Willie Mullins, to an easy success in the Grade 3 Baroneracing.com Chase. He made all the running on the even money favourite to beat the Charles Byrnes-trained and Phillip Enright-ridden Doctor Duffy by eight lengths with last year’s Aintree Grand National hero Minella Times a further 17 lengths away in third place. Phillip Enright was a winner later on the card when teaming up with old ally Robert Tyner to take the three-mile handicap hurdle with the 10-year-old Sir Bob. A 15/2 chance in the colours of JP McManus, he was clear after the second last hurdle and beat the Paul Nolan-trained Martha Divine by 10 lengths.
