Madden gets Princeton home to land big pot

The feature race on the first day of the Killarney May Festival, the Ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle went to the Eddie Harty trained Princeton Plains in the colours of JP McManus, just getting the better of Idarah by a head.

Having just his fifth start over hurdles, jockey Niall Madden produced the son of Tagula with an excellently timed run from off the pace, challenging the leader Idarah at the last, where he made a mistake, but still found more to get up close home at the odds of 12/1.

The winner was breaking his maiden tag having being placed at Fairyhouse, Gowran and Punchestown on his last three starts.

Top weight Fosters Cross ran a cracker to finish just two lengths back in third at 25/1 with the Tom Cooper trained Total Excitement a further three parts of a length back in fourth completing the placings.

The 3/1fav Pozyc for Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins finished in sixth.

The winning trainer stated afterwards "It was a long time coming but it was worth it when it did. He was unfortunate on his last run to come up against a good horse (second to Nearest the Pin at Fairyhouse), but this is good compensation for that.

"Captain Cee Bee was my last winner in Killarney and hopefully this fellow might be as good as him."