Dial shows Speed to take the last

Speed Dial recorded his fifth win since December and his second on the level as he took the last at Limerick, the Follow Limerick Racecourse on Facebook Handicap.

Having opened at 12/1 this morning with Paddy Powers, he opened on track at just 6/1 before going off at 11/2.

Trained by Pat Hughes and ridden by Colm O’Donoghue, the son of Medicean came with his challenge on the outside in the early straight, hitting the front a furlong from home and keeping on well to just hold off the late surge of the Christy Donoghue trained Gothen Niece (16/1) by a head.

Killourney Express finished a further three and a quarter lengths back in third under Leigh Roche for Tim Doyle at 20/1 while the 9/4 favourite Little Green could only manage a disappointing seventh under Emmett McNamara for his father Eric.

Pat Hughes said afterwards: "That's five wins for him now and he has nearly won €40,000 in win and place prizemoney . I couldn’t get €4,500 for him last September and it’s a good job now!

"After Gowran (April 8th) I was going to give him a break and I had his hindshoes off but he was in such good form I decided to continue with him.

"He got there a bit too soon today but he stayed going. He will run at Clonmel now on Thursday (2m Flat Handicap) if he comes out of this ok. After he runs he gets jarred up to his teeth and it takes him a few days to loosen out."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes