Littlebiggie lands a not so little touch

Littlebiggie made all the running under Liam Quinlan in the Executive Helicopters Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Heavily backed in the minutes before the off (11/1 into 7/2), the daughter of Ask had won a point-to-point at Stradbally last year and built on placed efforts in her previous two hurdle starts to beat Wudya by four and a quarter lengths.

Winning trainer Ray Hackett said: "She was running well last winter but if she had been younger, I wouldn't have run her during the winter but it was just to get the experience into her.

"She had been buzzy and I won't say she was a handful but was just that little bit babyish.

"That ground, jumping out smartly like that and the trip were important to her. She doesn't quicken but has a good high tempo and is a nice one to have for the summer. You'd like to think she'll be a better mare over fences too as she jumps great.

"Liam (Quinlan) is in with me, so knows her and knows how to ride her, and Martin (Hogan, owner) is from right across the road."

Quotes from Thomas Weekes