Fethard jockey Ben Coen records a fine double at Ballinrobe

Fethard jockey Ben Coen proved good value for his 7lbs claim at Ballinrobe on Monday as he produced the Michael Mulvany trained Stormy Tale to win by a head at the easy to back price of 10/1.

The three-year-old was only tenth when 7/2 joint-favourite on his last appearance but showed plenty of guile to clinch victory on the line this time around.

Coen made it a double later in the card as Solar Heat proved much the strongest over the 1m5f trip. The nine-year-old had no fewer than 11 lengths to spare over the field crossing the line. It was a sixth career win from 55 starts for the Dot Love-trained raider.

Donnacha O’Brien stretched his lead at the top of the jockeys’ championship with no fewer than four winners at Naas on Wednesday.

The opening three races went the way of O’Brien with two winners for his brother Joseph courtesy of Focus Of Attention and National Glory.

North Wind was a winner for his father Aidan and that pair teamed up a second winner with Threeandfourpence in the concluding Golden Ticket Package Race.

Fellow Tipperary rider Shane Crosse was also among the winners on the evening as he produced the Rodger Sweeney trained Glib Speech to win the Racing Again September 19th Apprentice Handicap. The maiden career success is likely to have been greeted with a great deal of joy by connections given the seven-year-old’s injury-prone past.

Cashel trainer Paddy Twomey landed the opening claiming race at Leopardstown on Thursday with the Billy Lee-ridden An Aingeal Dubh which was returned at odds of 13/2.

Aidan O’Brien added to his Naas double with a Group 3 winner at Leopardstown. Ridden by Ryan Moore, 8/11 favourite Anthony Van Dyck raced clear inside the final furlong to easily account for Bold Approach.

The success provided a measure of compensation for the flop of 4/9 favourite Goddess which trailed in last of all behind Skitter Scatter in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes. O’Brien and Seamie Heffernan shared the spoils in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes when 8/1 chance Sizzling got up on the line to join Jim Bolger’s Cimeara.

Wee Tiger won the 3m handicap hurdle at Limerick on Thursday for Nenagh trainer Ray Hackett. The winning 7/4 favourite was ridden by amateur rider Eoin O’Brien.