Conor Maxwell gets the best out of ultra-versatile Aprils Joy in feature contest

Aprils Joy provided another advertisement of her versatility when landing the feature €18,500 mares' handicap hurdle for Gavin Cromwell, her second success with Conor Maxwell on board.

The game six-year-old, carrying the colours of the Mick and Molly Syndicate, built on a promising return to action at Cork last month to supplement last year's wins in a point-to-point, mares' maiden hurdle and Flat handicap.

Her supporters may have endured a minor scare late on as the closing pack narrowed the gap on the winner, but the 13-2 chance held on in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF-backed event, with just three necks separating the first four home.

Johnston finally off the mark

The old adage that good things come to those who wait proved true for conditional jockey Dylan Johnston, who recorded his first success on his 58th ride aboard the Harry Smyth-trained Willyouwalkwithme.

"It's taken a while but I got there eventually and I'm delighted," the winning rider told Racing TV after prevailing in a photo.

"I wasn't sure if I had got up on the line. It's a relief to get my first winner. I'm originally from Dublin but ride out for Noel Kelly in the mornings and ride for Harry in the afternoons."

McLoughlin caps fine week

Trainer Dermot McLoughlin started the week with a Connacht National victory at Roscommon with The Echo Boy and rounded it off with another success courtesy of the unexposed Massons Castle, the convincing winner of division one of the 2m1½f handicap hurdle.

Results and analysis

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