Cromwell on the double in 24 hours

Gavin Cromwell is in fine form at the moment and enjoyed two winners in the space of 24 hours with Political Policy at Dundalk on Friday night and ElusiveIvy at Punchestown on Saturday.

Cromwell had the distinction of sending out the last winner of 2015 at Dundalk before when Political Policy won for the fifth time in 2015 for the Meath handler and the trainer repeated the feat at the first action of 2016 at the Louth track.

Political Policy was rated 58 when winning at the track for Cromwell last September and is now rated 93 after stepping up to a mile and a half for the first time for owner Frank Lynch.

'I'd love to get him qualified for the big meeting at Lingfield and we might aim at that. The first qualifier here is not until March so we might go to England and try and get qualified over there,” said the trainer.

Another local trainer, Pat Martin, was the first handler into the winners enclodsure for 2016 when Kevin Manning partnered Ishebayorgrey to success in a seven-furlong rated race.

“I don't think I've ever had a winner at the first meeting of the year before. It's nice to get one so early and it takes the pressure off a bit,” said the trainer who had 11 winners last year.

Stamullen-based Peter Casey was also on the mark when Hello Humpfrey won a handicap for Kilcock apprentice Robbie Downey who had tallied more than 50 winners to date.