Hands Of Gold beats Purse Price again

Hands Of Gold upheld Gowran form with Purse Price as he ran out a comfortable winner of the Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Novice Hurdle.

The pair occupied the first two places at Gowran last month and they again finished in the same order this afternoon.

Sent off the 15/8 favourite, the Arthur Moore trained victor was settled in second by Ricky Doyle and wasn't fluent at the third last.

He edged right before the next and was pushed along to lead on the approach to the last, keeping on well when ridden on the run-in, going on to score by three-and-a-quarter lengths in the colours of JP McManus.

The front-running Purse Price was returned a 10/3 chance under Ben Harvey, while Ideal Du Tabert (10/1) was another two-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.

.Della Casa Lunga was second and coming to challenge the winner when falling at the last.

"He came out of Gowran really well and I was very happy with him coming into today," said Moore.

"He has a great attitude, he got into a lovely rhythm there even though the slow pace wasn't ideal and on the drier ground it was going to be interesting to see how he got on.

"He's going the right way and I couldn't be happier with him, he's a lovely horse for the future.

"We'll aim him at Punchestown now but we'll have to find a race in between as that is ten weeks away.

"I have to say how grateful I am to JP, like so many others. You'd have to call him the patron saint of jumps racing in Ireland because we'd all be lost without him. It's lovely to have a nice horse for him again.

"I said to Ricky don't be too bothered over the third and fourth last so you can set him up for the last two. My father always said if you keep standing back and jumping you can end up on the ground.

"I'm delighted with him, he's going the right way and he's a big baby.

"Whether we go chasing next season or not, there is plenty of time to think about that and we'll see how the season ends up."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson