Goulane the chosen one as Seamus Spillane cards a double

Veteran Conna trainer Seamus Spillane was the toast of Mallow on Easter Monday as he landed his first double on the track, headlined by the decisive victory of stable star Goulane Chosen in the feature 2m½f handicap chase.

Now aged 12, the winner does not have a remarkable number of miles on the clock, but has been a terrific money-spinner for the stable over the years, and maybe gave notice that this sixth career success may not be his last.

Under Barry John Foley, the son of Well Chosen made all and was in total control turning in. His ten-length margin of victory over Espion Du Chenet and Fill The Tank did not do full justice to his superiority.

The winning trainer was represented by his son and assistant Dinny, who said: "We got tired of running him on bad ground, so we decided to wait for some good ground and have another go. He loved it out there today and we'll keep him on this sort of ground."

He added: "He's been a proper horse, he had a rating of 146 at one stage, and he's been a mighty horse for a small yard like ours. It's great for my father, he got a kick in the yard before Christmas and for the owners who bred him."

Right direction

The stable probably came expecting one winner with Wrong Direction in the maiden hunter chase, and that one did not disappoint.

It was an overdue success over fences, too, for a horse who ran subsequent Cheltenham winner It Came To Pass to a head in a hunter chase at this venue 17 months previously, and despite having his own way of jumping from time to time, he had too many guns for his rival under Johnny Hurley as he held off 50-1 shot Easca Mor by four lengths.

Dinny Spillane said: "Things went against him for a while. He had a lot of muck in his lungs which we couldn't shift, but we got it out and it paid off."

He added: "He would have won a hunter chase one day but for falling two out and he had decent form when we were able to keep him right. Hopefully he can keep on that road and we might go for a handicap chase with him now."

Flood off the mark

This meeting is normally a good one for rookie trainers and riders, and the trainer to celebrate his first track win was Kilcock-based Peter Flood after the Paul Bannon-ridden Save Us Avis landed the mares' maiden hunter chase.

He said: "I only have a hunter chase licence, but I'm doing the trainers' course this month and I'll hopefully have about 20 when I get the licence. This is a tough mare and was bred by the owners. I thought she would run well but didn't expect her to win!"

Results, analysis and replays

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