FABULOUS Saga loves to bowl along in front, but proved that he is more than just a galloper when responding to pressure from Danny Mullins to come back again after being headed in the Grade 2 Guinness Novice Hurdle at Limerick yesterday. He finished by claiming the spoils by two and three-quarter lengths.

The 8/13 favourite completed a double at the meeting for the winning rider, whose uncle Willie has care of Fabulous Saga for Sullivan Bloodstock Limited.

Having led until headed by Burren Life at the second last, the French-bred drew on his reserves to regain the advantage after the final flight.

Danny Mullins, who rode the five-year-old to a facile success over the same three-mile trip at Cork last time, was impressed and said after Fabulous Saga had notched up his fifth win: “It was a good tough performance. I probably knew they weren’t going to let me off the way they did in Cork, but you have to give credit to the horse.

“He was headed and looked set for second or maybe even third but he put his head down and galloped like a good horse. This race has a fair reputation going on to Cheltenham and I don’t know how good he’s going to be, but you can’t fault him on what he’s done so far.”

SPECIALIST

Stable-companion and course specialist Kate Appleby Shoes made a winning start over fences for the same trainer and jockey combination when justifying 11/8 favouritism in the Limerick Racecourse Vets Mares Beginners Chase.

Owned by Leo McArdle from Castleblaney, who has a string of shoe shops, the Flemensfirth mare was one of just three finishers and she revelled in the conditions to contain West Bridge by four lengths, with a further 81 lengths back to Larkfield Lass in third.

The successful rider commented: “She’s a solid mare and she galloped through the ground. She had a bit of luck early on but, for her first run over fences, you’d excuse her the odd slow jump. She had plenty of petrol left and has a future over fences.

“They’ve done a good job to keep racing going here.”

Beyond The Law gave Bryan Cooper a welcome boost when running away with the Racing Post Maiden Hurdle. Mouse Morris’s charge was always prominent and was in front before six out, drawing clear to win in splendid isolation by 22 lengths in the familiar colours of Ann & Alan Potts Limited. Caro Des Flos headed the betting, but dropped away tamely into fifth place.

“He’ll be a lovely chaser,” was the trainer’s post-race reaction. “He loved the ground (officially heavy) and wasn’t winning out of turn. He jumps well enough for a handicap but, if the ground stays soft, I’ll find a winners’ race for him. Chasing is what I’m looking forward to with him.”

COMPREHENSIVE

Favourite backers were feeling on good terms with themselves following the comprehensive 12-length success of the steady 3/1 favourite Cappacurry Zak in the Ladbrokes Rated Novice Chase.

Leslie Young trains this four-time winner for his breeder Tom Treacy and Sean O’Connell, who are both from Ballinrobe and the eight-year-old’s success was a real fillip for his jockey Ryan Treacy, whose career has been blighted by injury.

Young reflected: “He stays and he jumps. In Thurles he probably hit the front too soon and we wanted to get a lead into it today, because he idles a lot in front. He’ll stay chasing and anything from two miles, six furlongs to three miles in heavy ground suits him, so you’d be hoping we have a couple of months of it.”

Fellow Co Tipperary handler Ray Hackett welcomed his second winner of the festival into the number one spot.

His father Liam’s blinkered 4/1 chance The Ballyboys, with Johnny Burke in the plate, clung on by half a length from Silver Planeur in the Ryans Cleaning Event Specialists 80-102 Handicap Hurdle.

“That’s finished off a good Christmas,” said the beaming trainer. “The boss has had to be patient with this lad.

“He probably should have jumped a fence by now and has a mark, but I just thought this race would suit.

“He’s not ungenuine, but the blinkers just keep his focus and when he realised there was a battle on, he put his head down.

“He’ll probably go jumping fences in mid-January and we’ll keep him going in the ground.”

JOURNEY

The local Ballingarry stable of Charles Byrnes also struck for the second time at the fixture when J.P. McManus’s 10/11 favourite Off You Go made Donie McInerney’s journey from Leopardstown worthwhile with a 13-length victory in the two and a half-mile Shavings.ie Handicap Hurdle.

Byrnes said: “It did look a very weak race, but he handled the ground great and had a good claimer on board.”

Racing ended on the right note for Tralee trainer Tom Cooper whose Jammy George made it second time lucky in The Irish Field Flat Race with his one-length victory under Declan Lavery.

The favourite Robin The Hare finished only fourth.

The 12/1 scorer carries the colours of Andrew Brooks, of whom Cooper said: “I’m pre-training 25 horses for him. He’s a nice horse, a real galloper and he loved the ground. He is really a proper three-mile chaser.”

LOTS MORE CHRISTMAS RACING NEWS IN THE IRISH FIELD THIS WEEKEND