Winner of her maiden hurdle on the corresponding card last year, Hasten Slowly, from the in-form yard of John McConnell, landed the featured Bluegrass Horse Feeds Handicap Hurdle on the opening day of Tramore’s August festival.

Having tracked the pace set by top-weight Expound, Alex Harvey produced the five-year-old mare to challenge between horses on the extended run-in. And she picked-up well to seal the deal by a length and three-quarters from Granpa Ger.

“She loves it around here and seems to grow an extra leg,” stated winning rider Harvey. ”She’s a small filly but loves good ground and this track.

“I got a lovely run around, tracking the leader, and she picked up well coming up the hill. It was a competitive race and she had to be at her best to win again.” 

Hasten Slowly has now won seven times, four on the Flat and three over hurdles.

Ten years to the day after retiring from the saddle (he won on Most Honourable, also in Tramore), Andrew McNamara saddled grey mare Enjoy The Dream (Brian Hayes) to open her chasing account for by making virtually all to take the Bar One Racing Rated Novice Chase.

The 3-1 shot beat Luminous Light by three lengths, with favourite Ma Belle Etoile dropping away tamely to finish last of the four runners.

“I’m delighted to get a win with her over fences — she’s been second four times and deserved this,” said McNamara. “She was left in front early and jumped better today, so we might go forward with her again. I won’t be in a hurry with her but I’d like to think she might compete in mares’ novice company over the winter.” 

Jockey Hayes went on to complete a double when Faceman, trained for John Bowe by Harry Kelly, justified 11-8 favouritism in the three-runner Tramore Directors Rated Novice Hurdle, making most of the running and digging deep, having been headed, to outpoint Time In A Bottle.

The widest margin winner of the night was Philip Rothwell’s El Champo (Simon Torrens) who put his experience to good use in the O’Neill’s Bar Beginners Chase, coasting home 30 lengths clear of On Lovers Walk.

Rothwell admitted: “I was bit worried about running him back so soon after Galway and on good ground. But this looked a good opportunity for him and they’ve done an amazing job insuring we have such safe ground.” 

Runner-up to Familiar Dreams in the race last year, the Willie Mullins-trained 8-13 favourite Winter Fog, a 148-rated hurdler, made it third time lucky on the Flat when, under Aine O’Connor, he pipped The Banger Doyle in the concluding lady riders’ maiden.

Punters who backed Tatateo had anxious moments when Denis Hogan’s charge, under Daniel King, ran off the bend approaching the second last flight, when tackling market rival Louiescall.

However, the leader blundered at the final flight, giving the 2-5 shot a chance, which he seized, to win by three-quarters of a length.