Moon eases to feature race success

The feature race on the opening day of the Killarney May Festival, the Grade B Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle, went to the Jim Culloty trained Cry For The Moon who got in as first reserve.

Ridden by Paddy Mangan, the son of Street Cry, who was making his seasonal debut this afternoon, hit the front approaching the third last and he eased home from there winning by eight lengths at the line. Miley Shah ran well to take second at 28/1 under Kevin Sexton for John Kenny while Raggletagglegypsy was a further six and a half lengths back in third at 20/1 under Brian O’Connell for Eoin Doyle. Chill was a length and three parts back in fourth under Mark Enright for Dessie Hughes at 18/1 while the 5/2 favourite Security Breach finished a poor fourteenth under Ruby Walsh for Willie Mullins.

Jim Culloty said afterwards: "He got twelve pounds for winning over hurdles last year and he failed to reproduce that form.

"I’m beginning to think he is better running fresh. The Galway Festival will be his Gold Cup and he will either run in the Amateur Handicap on the Monday or the Galway Hurdle.

"He might also run in the Ascot Stakes. He would have a five week break before Galway if he ran there and he might get in off 86.

"Fair play to Brendan Duke (trainer of the non-runner Mister Benedictine who was taken out due to the ground) he rang me in plenty of time this morning."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes