McManus five-timer lights up Bellewstown finale

The green and gold silks of owner JP McManus had a path worn to the winner's enclosure at Bellewstown on Saturday.

And at the end of a glorious summer's evening to conclude the three-day July festival he had recorded five winners.

The principal beneficiaries were trainers Gordon Elliott and Joseph O'Brien, who had two and three winners respectively on the evening for the former champion owner.

Elliott landed the second division of the opportunity handicap hurdle (sponsored by McManus) with Steamboat Quay in the hands of Conor Brassil, and followed up an hour later in the feature handicap hurdle with the Davy Russell-ridden Timiyan.

O'Brien and rider Jody McGarvey teamed up to win the opening conditions hurdle with odds-on favourite Tigris River and followed up in the maiden hurdle with Aeglos. Stable amateur Tom Hamilton did the steering on Tower Bridge in the concluding bumper, arguably the owner's most impressive winner of the night.

McManus' racing manager Frank Berry was bathed in smiles at the end of the night, knowing they had a strong team coming to the meeting but with the results exceeding expectations.

He said: "I'm never too greedy! I was hoping we would get one or two but to get five is a bonus. It's great, and you couldn't get it on a better evening than this up here with such a big crowd. I'll have a very happy owner no doubt."

Bellewstown results