Ted & Ruby team up for Castletown win

Old Castletown got off the mark over fences as he took the Heinz Pollmeier Memorial Handicap Chase under Ruby Walsh (completing a quick double) for his father Ted.

Third on his penultimate start at Killarney the six-year-old son of Fruits Of Love disappointed last time out at Roscommon when favourite.

Sent off a 2/1 chance today he raced in rear early on before improving into fourth after the seventh.

He made further progress into second at the next and travelled best to lead at the second last, keeping on well under pressure before the last to win comfortably by three and a half lengths. Indian Temple finished second at 12/1 under Mickey Butler for Eoin Doyle while the 7/4 favourite Illtakeitfromhere was a further half a length back in third under Jack Kennedy for Paul Nolan.

Ted Walsh said afterwards: "The plan was to make it but he was wiped out at the start. Ruby was lucky he didn't break his toe. We had to go to Plan B then and that was just to let Ruby do what he wanted.

"He won around here before, he is an ordinary horse and it was an ordinary race. It was nice to win.

"He is a 0-95 horse, he is a good leaper and he needs quick ground. He handles this place well and there will be another one in him somewhere along the line.

"Denise Entenmann owns him. It's a pity he didn't win last week as Denise was home but we will take it when it comes.

"She was married to my second cousin Thomas Walsh who died last year. She has a house in Kildorrey and the townland is called Old Castletown."

Walsh was also full of praise for Tramore Racecourse manager Sue Phelan as he said: "She is the finest racecourse manager in the country."

The win sealed the leading rider award at the Festival for Ruby Walsh who recorded four winners, one ahead of Jonathan Burke on three.