Reflective Hourigan ends Limerick drought

Michael Hourigan was in dispirited mood following the win of his Undressed in the Ladbrokes Rated Novice Chase on day four of the Limerick festival today, as the veteran trainer bridged a yawning gap of five years and a day since his previous Limerick Christmas Festival winner.

Undressed was partnered to his hard fought win by jockey Mikey Fogarty and following the race Hourigan admitted “it’s nice to get a winner - I used to be leading trainer here when I could train five or six (winners) in the week but now there are younger fellows, like Willie Mullins, taking over and training 20 in the week.”

The trainer, who turned 69 recently, last had a winner at his local track with Friendly Society on December 28, 2011 and today added "I've had great times and this place has been a happy hunting ground but we’re quiet at the moment and I have between 25-30 horses in training. It’s plenty because you can’t get staff and this game (training) is a headache now.

"You’re not happy doing it but you do it because you love it. But not a hope would I stay at it if I was younger as I don’t have the numbers. This game has been very good to me though and I’ll stick at it as long as I can - we’ll survive.”

Regarding Undressed, he stated “he’s a huge horse, he’s 18 hands plus and is developing all the time but prefers nicer ground. He was unlucky in the Cork National and is getting older and might be getting stronger. I don’t know where he’ll run next.”

By Tom Weekes