Popular Tipperary trainer lands the first double of his career

Willie Austin landed the first double of his career, maintaining a brilliant run of form for his Cloughjordan stable, at Tramore.

The veteran trainer shared his winners with conditional jockey Trevor Ryan who is enjoying a fine run of his own. The pair won the 2m handicap hurdle with 10/1 chance Red Lemonade and followed up later in the day with her half-brother Highest Benefit which took the 2m5f handicap chase at odds of 8/1, giving Austin four winners from his last nine runners.

For good measure, Austin also bred and owns both winners.

Rachael Blackmore gave Henry De Bromhead a local success on the card when Une Lavandiere scored a runaway success in the 2m5f handicap hurdle. The 14/1 shot went clear from the second last to win for the Camphor Syndicate. The winner might turn out again at the course on New Year's Day.

Killenaule apprentice Gavin Ryan teamed up with County Kilkenny trainer Pat Murphy to win the 8f handicap with Able Jack at Dundalk on Friday night. The partnership made light of a wide draw to win by a neck from the Johnny Levins-trained Dark Magic at odds of 12/1.

David Marnane scored with the smart Alfredo Arcano in the 6f handicap. The final leg of a Billy Lee treble, the well-backed 6/4 favourite won by half a length from the Michael Halford-trained Arcanears and heads to Dubai for the winter with a Group 3 race an early target.

Captain Guinness might well have given 2/9 favourite Blackbow a race of it in the 2m maiden hurdle at Navan on Sunday, but we will never know. Henry De Bromhead’s charge was three lengths off the Willie Mullins charge but was definitely closing when the front-runner tipped up at the final flight. This left the 20/1 chance in front and he picked up well to win by seven lengths under jockey of the moment Rachael Blackmore who sported the colours of Declan Landy.