Bellewstown: Mirpour makes it three to set up tilt at Galway.

Byline: Tony O'Hehir

MIRPOUR and Barry Geraghty have struck up a good partnership and the combination completed a hat-trick of wins over hurdles when landing the two-mile, one-furlong four-year-old novice by two lengths.

Bred by the Aga Khan and raced for him on the Flat by John Oxx, Mirpour has, in the words of trainer Eoin Griffin, "got his act together" over hurdles and last night's success followed on from wins at Punchestown and Navan.

Griffin said: "I think two things have helped him come good - the better ground and not asking him to make the running like he did when he started hurdling.

"He'll probably go to Galway for the four-year-old novice there. We might enter him for the Galway Hurdle and think about running him in it, although it might be asking a bit much this year."

Alabama Blues, unlucky on her debut at Cork last month when she started slowly before finishing a neck second over seven furlongs, made amends when justifying 5-2 favouritism under Wayne Lordan in the mile maiden for two-year-olds.

After the daughter of Desert King had scored by two lengths, trainer Tim Doyle said: "As well as losing ground at the start she ran very green at Cork. I'd like to think we might get some black type for her before the end of the season, but we will probably look for a winners' auction race next time."

The Red Fellow, trained by Harry Rogers, easily landed the first division of the 0-50 mile handicap, quickening clear in the final furlong to score by four lengths under Fran Berry.

Rogers, who thought the step up to a mile had made a difference to The Red Fellow, looked set for a double when Chief Odin came from well off the pace to lead inside the final furlong in division two. But he was caught and beaten a length by Okay, ridden by Cathie Gannon for Jim Gorman, who trains the nine-year-old mare for Val Cross from County Kildare.