Quintus heads for the Curragh

Norman Williamson landed a winner on his only ride of the day when Quintus took the Midland Oil Handicap Hurdle at Roscommon yesterday.

The easy to back 5 to 2 favourite ran out the winner by a length from Khairabar, the pair finishing all of 11 lengths clear of Hot Bunny in third.

"He will go for the 12 furlong handicap at the Curragh on Derby Day and he will also be entered for the Galway Hurdle", said winning trainer Edward O'Grady.

Donadino is another heading for Galway following his comfortable success in the Dermot Hughes Toyota Car Sales Hurdle.

Trained and ridden by Charlie Swan, Donadino coasted to a two and a half length win at odds of 4 to 9. "He loves fast ground and that is why we kept him in for the summer. I will give him a short break now and bring him back for a winners of two over hurdles".

Both Gerry Cusack and Pat Malone enjoyed a welcome change of luck when Borzov, another at home on the ground, took the Bank of Ireland Roscommon Handicap Chase at odds of 16 to 1.

Likewise, Curragh trainer John Hayden made a welcome visit to the winners enclosure when his Rachael's Delight held on to win the Ashford Race under Johnny Murtagh.

Murtagh had to settle for second place on the John Oxx-trained Insenor, who just failed to peg back the well supported Worldly Treasure in the Budweiser Maiden. Dermot Weld's winner was ridden by Pat Smullen.

Dame Portia finished strongly under Fran Berry to land the Westward Scania Handicap for yet another Curragh-based handler John Mulhern.

On Saturday Aidan O'Brien and Mick Kinane warmed up for a busy week at Royal Ascot this week when they combined to complete a short-priced double at Navan via newcomer Joplin and Plato.

The Ballydoyle conveyor belt introduced another winning juvenile in the shape of the American-bred Nureyev colt, Joplin but supporters of the 2 to 5 shot had to sweat before collecting on the Ballydoyle newcomer.

Mick Kinane's mount was boxed in behind Mambo Jumbo and America Calling with nowhere to go entering the final furlong but the former champion didn't panic and switched his mount to the outer before he unleashed a turn of foot that settled the issue in the dying strides.

The Stewards inquired into the closing stages as Tender Cove which finished fourth was slightly impeded when Kinane made his winning move but they made no alteration to the judges placing. Kinane was seen at his brilliant best for the second leg of the brace, the Coolmore Sri Pekan Race over a mile, when he kept Plato up to his task up front to hold the effort of Shibl and Stephen Craine by a head.

Champion jumps jockey Barry Geraghty teamed up with Jessica Harrington's Windy Spirit to easily win the maiden hurdle, justifying favouritism at 7 to 2 in the process, while 25 to 1 shot Quality First and Tom Treacy sprang a surprise in the handicap hurdle when defeating Dual Star.

This 24-runner field was reduced at the half-way stage when there was a five horse pileup sparked off when 14 to 1 shot Fairy House crashed out. Sadly for connections of Cheeky Harry, the incident proved costly when Gerry Keane's gelding broke a leg and had to be humanely destroyed.

One punter whose Jackpot entry yesterday included John Mulhern's longshot Dame Portia - the Tote paid 50 to 1 for a win - stood between Roscommon and a £10,000 carry forward to this evening's meeting.

For the first nap of the week I nominate Baku whose fourth career run at The Curragh recently resulted in a second placing to Basin Street Blues. Her rider Dessie McDonogh was one of half a dozen to weight in over weight but the 2lb extra can not blamed for a two and a half length defeat.

As, however, there is only one previous winner in today's field and that is Ginger Lily fortunate to get home a length ahead of the severely hampered Contradiction at Down Royal, Baku's latest effort should be more than good enough.

Derrymoyle, once a champion staying hurdler has only managed to include a single steeplechase win in his career tally of 10 National Hunt race wins. He will, however, appreciate the increase in distance in the Roscommon Chase over the 2m 5f at which he was beaten 10 lengths by the odds-on favourite Dante's Battle.

Noel Meade who trains Dante's Battle now takes Derrymoyle on with Johnny Brushaside who in the latest ratings is assessed as being 8lb behind Dante's Battle.

The team of the Aga Khan, John Oxx and John Murtagh whose Royal Ascot team includes Enzeli, the reigning holder of the Gold Cup, can put themselves on song for the week by taking the Percy French Maiden with Mouramara.

This daughter of the dual Derby winner Kahyasi was trained last year by Luca Cumani for whom she ran third to Summoner at Doncaster in November.

Dermot Weld is double handed in the other flat maiden and it is unusual to find the jockey arrangements pointing to his four-year-old River Tempest rather than the younger Talkin Softly. River Tempest has the edge in experience having had a run last season when second at Cork.