Tipperary trainer Charlie Swan is enjoying a good run at the moment and that fact was underlined when 6/1 shot Prince Of Fire landed the featured €23.500 Racing Post Handicap Chase at Killarney last Monday evening.

Racing in the familiar green and gold hoops of leading owner JP McManus, Prince Of Fire was given a strong ride by David Casey who sent the son of Waky Nao to the front at the final fence and the eight-year-old quickly sealed the deal when sprinting clear to beat 11/10 favourite Absolutelyfantastic by eight lengths.

The winner, who was leaving behind a disappointing effort over hurdles on his previous start at Bellewstown, pleased former champion jockey Swan, who commented: “I have to say I’m a little surprised at that as he ran so badly last time. He travelled well all the way today and jumped great, which is something he hasn’t always done in the past.

“Obviously, he handles that nice ground and, while he hasn’t run over fences since November 2011, everything just went right for him today. He had a touch of class on the flat and I suppose he’ll be on my team for Galway now,” added the Cloughjordan handler.

Elsewhere on the card at the scenic Kingdom venue, Swan’s near neighbour Denis Hogan got in on the act as the gambled-on Shalaman took the honours in the International Hotel Apprentice Handicap, but only after the original first past the post Positive Vibes lost the race in the stewards’ room.

Backed from 13/2 into 7/2 favourite for this 11-furlong contest, Shalaman was mounting a serious challenge when Leigh Roche’s mount was squeezed for room by Positive Vibes well inside the final furlong with the stewards opting to reverse the placings of the first two home at the subsequent enquiry.

Hogan has really been making a name for himself of late as he combines training and riding to good effect. He has a nice team of horses under his care with the likes of Inis Meain, who won at Galway last year, one of his top performers and a keen eye should also be kept on his Ballybrit runners this time round.

Another Galway specialist, Maundy Money, warmed up for this year’s meeting in the best possible fashion when taking the one-mile O’Keeffe Marquee Hire Handicap under a fine ride from rising apprentice star Conor King.

Successful at Roscommon seven days earlier, Maundy Money (9/2 co-favourite of four) defied a nine-pound hike for his success at the western venue when quickening up well at the business end to beat runner-up Slim Chance by a length and three-quarters.

The winner will now head to Galway where the son of King’s Best will be competing at the festival for the sixth year in a row.

Seskinane disqualification upheld

Kilmaley owner Eugene McMahon failed is his appeal against the disqualification of his horse Seskinane, who was first past the post in the All Sports Betting Tubbercurry Hurdle at Sligo on May 22, at a Turf Club appeal hearing last Thursday.

The Seskinane case was the subject of much debate when the stewards at Sligo found that jockey Derek Fox had ‘ridden dangerously’ when manoeuvring between two Willie Mullins-trained runners, On His Own and Twigline, off the final bend and automatically disqualified the Mark McNiff-trained seven-year-old. Fox was also hit with a ten-day riding ban.

Last Thursday, the matter came before a meeting of the Turf Club’s Appeals body, where Fox claimed that he did not ride dangerously and did not get a fair hearing while the grounds for McMahon’s appeal was that the horse should not have been disqualified as the rider was not guilty of dangerous riding.

Evidence was heard from Ruby Walsh, rider of subsequent winner On His Own, Paul Townend who partnered Twigline and Fox, who said that in his opinion there was a sufficient gap for Seskinane to get through and he did not purposefully interfere with Twigline nor did he ride in a manner that would endanger the safety of another horse or rider.

Following a two-and-a-half hour hearing, the appeals body found that the stewards on duty at Sligo had taken the correct decision and confirmed Fox’s 10-day suspension.

They also ordered that Fox forfeit his €500 appeal deposit, deemed that he contribute a fine of €250 towards the cost of the hearing and confirmed Seskinane’s disqualification.

Meanwhile, Danny Mullins is another jockey facing a trip to the appeals body following a ­bizarre incident at Bellewstown recently, where the Kilkenny rider was hit with a 14-day ban.
Mullins was riding the Barry Connell-owned Private Treasure in the Anglo Printers Novice Hurdle when that horse pulled-up with a serious injury. According to Mullins, it was eight minutes before any ambulance arrived at the scene and a further two minutes before vets attended the stricken horse.

Mullins claims he sat in the back of an Order Of Malta ambulance awaiting a lift back to the weighing room but when there was no sign of movement, he drove the ambulance back himself as he had to weigh out for the following race.

The Bellewstown stewards took a dim view of the matter however and, having interviewed Mullins about his behaviour, they found him guilty of bringing racing into disrepute, which resulted in a two-week ban for the former flat rider, who enjoyed his first Grade One success over jumps aboard Gordon Elliott’s Mount Benbulben at Punchestown back in April.

While Mullins acted irresponsibly, the punishment handed out in this case is seen by most observers as very harsh and should Mullins fail in his appeal – which is due to be held this week – he will miss the entire upcoming Galway Festival.

In a further twist to the case, the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners have lodged a complaint on behalf of O’Connell with the Turf Club into the treatment of the ill-fated Private Treasure at Bellewstown. O’Connell also retains Mullins to ride the sizable string of horses he has in training with various trainers in this country,.