Captain Ceebee (IRE) made a very pleasing seasonal debut to win the Grade 3 Poplar Square at Naas on Saturday. The dual Grade 1 winner jumped well under Mark Walsh and he didn’t have to exert himself too much to account for Archie Boy, much to the delight of his trainer Eddie Harty. “That was what the doctor ordered. There are a lot of races for him and I wouldn’t want to commit as to his next run but the ultimate aim is the Queen Mother Champion Chase.” Bred by Maurice Stack, Captain Ceebee is by Germany who stands at Woodlands Stud in County Galway and he was bought by Eddie Harty Snr at Goffs December sale for only €4,500.

At Ascot on Saturday the Irish bred Massini's Maguire (IRE) showed class is permanent when winning the valuable United House Gold Cup Chase. A former winner at the Cheltenham Festival the 9yo appears to have lost none of his ability having returned from a spell on the sidelines. He has proved a fine servant for owner Alan Peterson who has tasted success at the Cheltenham Festival with another Irish bred and former Irish trained horse Copper Bleu. Massini's Maguire was bred by Gerard Quirke out of the Supreme Leader mare Molly Maguire who is also the dam of I Know The Code, a recent impressive debut bumper winner for Jonjo O’Neill.