THE decision to switch back to timber with Its Bilbo reaped rich rewards at Limerick on the final day of their Christmas festival meeting. Henry de Bromhead’s charge placed over fences on his previous outing and showed his versatility by running out a convincing winner of the €50,000 QuinnBet Handicap Hurdle.

Leading amateur Rob James took 7lb off his back and produced the 9/2 shot to lead over the last in the listed contest, staying on strongly in the closing stages to post a length-and-three-quarter victory.

“He did it well, he jumped well and travelled everywhere,” said James. “I felt like I got there with loads of time and he had loads left going to the line, he was pricking his ears

“Maybe chasing stood to him. Henry told me the way to ride him and in fairness Robbie Power rang me and said he’d have a good chance.”

For sale

James went on to complete a double on Gearoid O’Loughlin’s No Cure in the ‘unplaced’ maiden hurdle later on the card. The 5/1 shot made a mistake when coming to dispute two from home but asserted after the last to post a convincing four-length success.

“He did it well. He’s always been a horse that we liked,” said O’Loughlin. “We point-to-point most of our young horses but he was actually very hardy when we broke him and he’s not over-big so this is the route we went.

“He’s a horse that’s going to give someone a lot of fun. He’s a brother to two good horses, Wade Out and Whatsupwithyou. Hopefully now we can sell him on.”

Much the best

Another amateur who shone on the day was Josh Halford, aboard Last Round, in the opening Grant Thornton Maiden Hunters Chase. The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding led on the bridle turning for home and kept on well when asked for an effort before the final fence to record a 10-length win in the colours of Liz Graham.

Halford reported: “It was very easy. He took me the whole way, travelled well and jumped very well. His form is actually quite good and it was a maiden hunters chase. I thought he was good enough to win one of them anyway.”

DANNY Gilligan gave Raise You Up a well-judged front-running ride to claim the Red Mills Auction Maiden Hurdle for trainer Ross O’Sullivan.

Sent off 15/8 favourite after a promising run to finish second on his hurdling debut at Naas a fortnight ago, he found plenty from the final flight to post a four-and-a-quarter length win.

“My only worry was coming back after 14 days; I was a little bit nervous about that,” said O’Sullivan. “He’s a lovely horse, I bought him off Jamie Codd for Richard Murphy from England.

“He’s progressive and there is plenty more to come from him. He’ll be a lovely chaser; I’d say three miles is going to be his trip. Touch wood, we’ll have a right bit of fun with him.”

Fun continues

Duffys Hodey (11/4) made it third time lucky over fences when staying on powerfully late on to win the novice handicap chase in the colours of the Fairwood Syndicate.

Shane O’Callaghan got a great tune out of the Philip Rothwell-trained gelding as he asserted late on for a four-and-a-quarter length success.

Rothwell said: “He jumped much better today. I said to Shane to keep him out wide because with the four fences up the back here if you can get into a rhythm, it gives you a good chance. He jumped super.

“He’s a great fun horse. It’s a magic syndicate, it’s our own syndicate (Fairwood Racing) and includes some of my best friends. They’ve been very lucky.”

ONEFORTHEDITCH got back into the winner’s enclosure after a series of consistent efforts when taking the first division of the Focus Capital Handicap Hurdle.

Calum Hogan gave the 3/1 favourite a positive ride as she made all and stayed on strongly in the closing stages to post a three-and-a-half length success.

“She should be left off for the winter but she was in such good form you couldn’t,” trainer Eamonn Gallagher said. “When she ran here the last day, she went on the soft ground so I said we’d come back at Christmas over two miles and three furlongs.

“Her mother won here, Backinthere, and she was my first winner. I’ve very lucky owners, the Sheehans, and they’ve been great to me.”

Second time lucky

In the second division of the race the decision to turn Diamond Dollar (5/2) out again quickly reaped rewards for the Byrnes family.

The Diamond Boy gelding had been beaten favourite at the course two days previously but prevailed in a thrilling three-way finish this time under Philip Byrnes.

“We’re delighted to get the win. We were disappointed with him the other day and we said we’d throw him back in. It was probably a weaker race today,” said Charles Byrnes.

Small field

Bill Durkan’s Holy See bagged a deserved victory over jumps when landing the Philip O’Sullivan Heating Rated Novice Hurdle. John Shinnick led before the straight on the 11/2 shot and he found plenty in the closing stages to win by half a length.

“We had him in the novice handicap at Leopardstown but we thought a smaller field here would suit,” said assistant trainer Gary Bannon. “He has a lot of ability, it’s just been about getting his head in front and getting a bit of confidence.”