Sunbird on the up

Golden Sunbird continued her rise up the ranks by landing the Listed Kerry Group European Breeders Fund Mares Novice Hurdle at Limerick under Michael Doran.

The Jim Mernagh owned and bred daughter of Bob Back got the better of 4/6 favourite Dare To Doubt from before the straight and she went on to score by eighteen lengths. Definite Class came through to short-head Dare To Doubt for second.

James Nolan, brother of winning trainer Paul, said: "She's a tough mare. Michael gets a great tune out of her. He seems to have a special bond with her and she jumped so well for him in Leopardstown that we continued their partnership.

"She was giving her hurdles too much daylight but Michael seems to have got the best out of her. The trip (two miles) was a worry coming down here today and we would have been happy if she'd been placed.

"She jumped really well today and she handles the ground. Good ground is her ideal ground though, Tony McCoy said that the day he rode her in Sandown. She'll go to Fairyhouse now for the mares final."