AFTER showing quite a decent level of form on his first three outings over hurdles, Peter Fahey’s Soviet Pimpernel took his form to another level with quite a cosy success in the Grade 3 Irish Independent Hurdle.

In a race that went to the subsequent Champion Hurdle hero Espoir D’allen 12 months ago, much of the focus was on the promising French recruit Franco De Port and the 140-rated Surin.

However, centre stage went to Peter Fahey and Kevin Sexton’s representative who was paying a handsome compliment to the form of Envoi Allen’s Royal Bond Novice Hurdle in which he finished sixth.

The experience that he picked up at Fairyhouse and when finishing a decent second in a conditions race at Cheltenham in October clearly stood Soviet Pimpernel (4/1) in good stead for this latest test and he arrived full of running early in the straight.

At this point, the market leaders were struggling and the Direct Bloodstock-owned winner was left with last season’s Triumph Hurdle third, Gardens Of Babylon as his danger.

The latter kept on well for pressure but Soviet Pimpernel always seemed to have his measure and went on to score by two and a half lengths.

“He got through the ground but would be better on better and you’ll see the best of him when he gets on good. His class got him through today,” reported Sexton whose mount could well win a major prize in the spring.

“He was maybe a bit flat in the Royal Bond and we’ve freshened him up since and he was a different horse today.”

WILLIE Mullins sent out the winner of the Limerick Racecourse Vets Mares Beginners Chase for the fifth year in succession as the useful hurdler Cut The Mustard (7/2) made a good start over fences.

Mikey Fogarty’s mount took time to warm to her task and made a notable error at the second but looked increasingly comfortable as the race wore own and victory was assured when she moved past Stucker Hill at the second last.

The Sullivan Bloodstock-owned mare soon held a commanding lead which saw her finish with 14 lengths to spare.

Joseph O’Brien’s tremendous run of form extended into the BRC McMahon Reinforcements Rated Novice Hurdle where Fakir came good on his fourth start for the trainer.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding, who had offered encouragement in three decent maiden hurdles, was partnered by the promising Oakley Brown who took his tally to six winners from just 15 rides for the trainer. The 5/2 favourite led before the last and sustained his effort to account for the strong-finishing Bal De Rio by a length.

There was yet further joy for Gigginstown in the Ryans Cleaning Event Specialists Maiden Hurdle as Eleazar Des Neiges struck for Henry de Bromhead and Hugh Morgan.

In a race confined to horses who had never previously been placed, the five-year-old produced a much better jump than the menacing favourite Zambezi Fix at the second last flight and that enabled him to open up a clear lead which he never looked likely to relinquish. The 4/1 shot went off to defeat La Feline by two and a half lengths.

Alohamora (6/1) continued an industrious few weeks for trainer James Nash as she upstaged the odds-on Young Dev in the Greenmount Equine Hospital Rated Novice Chase over two and three quarter miles.

Gavin Brouder was on board this five-year-old, who is also owned by her trainer, and he conjured a great jump from the daughter of English Channel at the final fence which set her up for a two-and-three-quarter-length victory over the hat-trick-seeking favourite who was bidding for his second success of the meeting.

LOCAL trainer Eric McNamara made his mark at this year’s meeting in the last race of the four-day fixture when Northern Love struck at 20/1 in the 80-102 rated The Irish Field Handicap Hurdle.

The Kevin McNamee-owned and -bred son of Winged Love travelled strongly to lead two out but was almost down on his nose at that flight. This massive four-year-old recovered well for Ryan Treacy and contained the effort of Lotus Hill to prevail by half a length.

This was only his fourth career start so there should be much more to come from the winner.

Earlier, William Cronin senior and junior struck with Southerner (5/1) who is busy making up for last time and made it two wins in succession in the Racing Post Handicap Hurdle.

The 10-year-old has run just nine times over the course of his career but he returned from well over a year and a half off to win at Cork recently and he followed up in good style to defeat Duchess Ravenwaves by five lengths.

This Cronin-owned gelding can win more races this race.

Sexton banned

AFTER winning the day’s feature Kevin Sexton was then hit with a six-day whip ban on Lotus Hill in the last race.

Whip ban

RYAN Treacy picked up a two-day whip ban for his efforts on Tomeric in the novice hurdle.