First winner for Dullea as Dog lands gamble

Dog Barrel Hill under Andrew McNamara came out on top in the Friends of Limerick Racecourse Maiden Hurdle landing a gamble in the process.

Having opened on course at 6/1 the son of Anshan was punted into 7/2 and duly obliged for his trainer/owner James Dullea.

After winning two point-to-point's at Tralee and Killaloe in the early months of this year he then ran in four Novice Chases on the track where he showed very little.

On his first start over hurdles today, the 7yo gelding took his opportunity in what was a very weak contest, hitting the front before the straight and staying on best from there to assert on the run-in for a comfortable four length win. Castlerock Rose ran well to finish second at 20/1 under Derek O'Connor while the 5/4 favourite High Class Show could only manage a disappointing third, sixteen lengths back under Philip Enright.

Winning trainer James Dullea said afterwards: "That's my first winner on the track. I’ve had around ten point-to-point winners and I have my license a year and a half. I was with John Murphy for two years before that.

"This fellow is a nice horse and he will be better over fences and he will go back over them now. He lost his confidence after winning his point-to-point's.

"I trained Newmill in his latter days but we just couldn’t get him over the line. He is retired now and went to a good few shows over the summer and was at the Dublin Horse Show."