Heskin sends Judicieuse Allen home on first ride for Mullins

Judicieuse Allen zoomed home from an unpromising position to the cheers of favourite backers in the opening mares' maiden hurdle at Limerick.

Willie Mullins' French recruit went off at 6/5, but appeared to be toiling when she dropped to fourth behind the leaders approaching two out.

She had plenty on her plate racing to the last, but jumped it very well and after being given one crack from Adrian Heskin sluiced home powerfully on the testing ground to get up in the final strides.

She took the honours by three-quarters of a length from 150/1 Cooltubrid Eva who can count herself a shade unlucky in second. Hurricane Bailey was another length and a-quarter back in third at 12/1.

Heskin said: "I couldn't get a run with her turning in as she was hanging and I was all on one rein the whole way around.

"It ran me into traffic and, while I was happy I had the fancied horses beaten, the two leaders got first run on me and thank God the straight was as long as it was.

"She winged the last two, has a great will to win and I'd say she is a fair filly. 

"That was my first ride for Willie and I'm very grateful for getting the opportunity. It was lovely to ride a nice horse and nice when it works out. 

"I ride out two days a week in Willie's, a day a week in Henry De Bromhead's and another day in Tony Martin's and anywhere I can for the other days.

"I've been very lucky since I came home, I've been getting a lot of support and Garry Cribbin (agent) has been doing a fantastic job."

Judicieuse Allen finished runner-up in a conditions hurdle on her sole start in France.

Paddy Power kept her unchanged at 16/1 for the mares' novices' hurdle.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes