FATHER and son, Edward and Kieren Buckley, teamed up to land the most valuable hurdle on the card in the Panoramic Restaurant Novice Handicap Hurdle with Dollar Nolimit.
Owned by Molly Willis, Paul Willis and Mark Phillips, the 4/1 chance led before the final flight and, went clear on the run-in to score by nine and a half lengths. “He has a hell of an engine but has had a few little niggly injuries and is a hard horse to train,” said the winning trainer Edward Buckley. “I spoke to Joseph O’Brien (previous trainer) about buying him and, while he loved him, he said he was impossible to train and keep right.
“He needs this ground, but the problem is we only get it for two or three months a year. He didn’t look cheap either when he fell the last day, but we’re not complaining today.”
Upset win
Jack Gilligan rode his father Paul’s Survivors Sister to cause a 25/1 upset in the Munster Suite @ Limerick Handicap Hurdle.
Another to race prominently, the McGrath and Quinn-owned mare led five out and went clear from the penultimate flight to win by 22 lengths.
“Prices don’t bother me but her run was very good here the last day. I thought she was booked to finish second but Shane (O’Callaghan) maintains she would have won,” said Gilligan senior.
“Coming here on this type of ground, you don’t know what horses will handle it, but she is a good filly and is owned by good people. It has been a while since we’ve had a winner and the horses weren’t right. Some had been running well, but they all look to be coming right now.”
ROCKY’S Howya justified 13/8 favouritism when taking the opening Limerick Racecourse Claiming Hurdle for Kevin Healy and trainer Declan Queally.
Making all, the Mrs Margaret Kiely-owned gelding came clear from two out to win easily by 20 lengths.
Queally said: “He was the champion point-to-pointer one year, so it is amazing that this is the first race he has won on a racecourse. It’s nice to actually win a race with him. In the original entries he was set to carry more weight, but I dropped him to weight him fairly and if somebody claims him now, so be it. If he stays, we’ll try and find something similar. He has paid for himself this year again, so I’m happy out.”
Rainyday winner
Last year’s Gold Cup-winning trio Gavin Cromwell, Mark Walsh and J.P. McManus were on the mark in the Conference & Banqueting Facilities @ Limerick Mares Maiden Hurdle with Saveforarainyday.
Sent off 1/1 favourite, the McManus-owned mare led before two out, going clear on the run-in to score by 18 lengths. Cromwell’s race planner Troy Cullen said: “She had been a bit keen and in Leopardstown the last day she didn’t fully get home, but she relaxed there and they went good and slow.
“She relaxed, finished it out and had the form to win. She did it handy enough. Hopefully she will progress from here and there are plenty of mares’ races for her.”
On the pace
Tip Of The Wings won the Follow Limerick Racecourse On Instagram (C & G) Maiden Hurdle for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy. On an afternoon when it paid to be on the pace, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned 100/30 chance led throughout, asserting from the last to win by 11 lengths.
Kennedy said: “I thought his run in Leopardstown (finished sixth) was promising enough and good enough to win this and he did it well. He went away through the ground not a bother. He jumped well, was good and he could be a nice horse.
“Hopefully he will go forward and, on nicer ground, he might have to go out in trip. That ground is as tough as it gets, some handle it and others don’t.”
Mullins finds a path
PATRICK Mullins showed great initiative when winning the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race on the Paul Hennessy-trained Of Land And Sea.
Soon in front, Mullins charted a wide course throughout on the Evegallahoo Racing Syndicate owned 14/1 chance. Clear from two out, the five-year-old kept up the gallop to win by nine lengths.
“We keep a few greyhounds for the winning (Evegallahoo Racing) syndicate which is headed by Mike O’Riordan, and being local to here, it is great to win today,” said Hennessy.
“We bought this horse on Mags and Danny Mullins’ recommendation and this is the lads’ first horse with me. It worked out lovely and I remember Patrick’s Daddy (Willie Mullins) doing the same (racing very wide) to win at Clonmel years ago, so they ended up railing the area off to stop him!
“It is very seldom I get to use Patrick and now almost all the Mullins family have won races for me, including Danny, Fiona, David while Emmet, Willie and Tony have all trained winners for me. Tom is left but there’s always time!”
Dream gamble
Ray Hackett sent out Donnrua Dream to land a gamble in the Cheltenham Raceday Limerick On 12th March Handicap Hurdle.
Available at 22/1 in the morning, the Green Grass Syndicate-owned gelding kept on well under Liam Quinlan to score by two and a half lengths at odds of 17/2.
“He deserved it as he is really honest. It took us a while to figure him out and, while he never made a noise or anything, we just decided to put a tongue-tie on him which made an awful difference to his work at home,” said Hackett.
“We had been stretching him a bit too far in his races but brought him back in trip today, and the fact that he handles heavy ground meant we could go down the inside to save lengths. The four-member syndicate are local and we’ll run the horse back quick enough, with the ground being so favourable.”
Stewards
Following and incident at the start, the Raceday Stewards also found Kieran Buckley to be in breach of Rule 208.(iii)(b) (put a horse into a canter) and suspended him for two racedays. They also found Gavin Brouder to be in breach of the same rule and having considered his record in this regard (third offence) suspended him for three racedays.