A PURCHASE price of €8,500 would scarcely command a second glance in a store sale results sheet. When the horse bought for that sum helps a relatively new handler reach eight four-year-old maiden winners in a calendar year, it merits rather more attention.

That was the contribution of Louilood at Portrush on Saturday, as the two-and-three-quarter-length success for the French-bred son of Bathyrhon ensured it was a worthwhile 850-kilometre round trip for Gary Murphy’s Wexford base to win that particular four-year-old maiden race for the second year running.