The final leg of Limerick's two day meeting concluded today where trainer Daphne Scholts saddled her first winner when Maith An Fear landed the Jimmy Mansell Benefit Fund Maiden Hurdle under Conor O'Dwyer.
Despite making a few dreadful errors, O'Dwyer managed to guide Maith An Fear to a two length win with gamble of the race, It's Showtime (5/1 - 9/4) back in fourth.
Curragh based Scholts moved to Ireland from Holland in 1996 and has held a license for two years and, although she currently has ten young horses in training, 'has a few empty stables still!'
The local Michael Hourigan yard rarely leaves this meeting without a winner and Rabble Run landed a gamble (3/1 - 9/4) in the opening maiden hurdle. Timmy Murphy's mount made good progress to lead before the second last flight, eventually extending the lead to four and a half lengths at the line.
Hourigan later commented 'she was a bit unlucky not to win a bumper and now that she has won over hurdles she might pick up another one.'
Connections of newcomer Batang in the race (finished a staying on sixth) found themselves in trouble with the stewards who decided that the colt had made insufficient effort. Trainer Gerry Cully was fined E800 fine, Batang's rider Andrew Leigh received a seven day ban while the horse can now enjoy a 42 day break.
Jockey James 'Corky' Carroll has impressed in point to points recently and claimed his seventh racecourse win on Pat Fahy's Native Stag in the National Students Raceday Challenge Maiden Hurdle. The son of Be My Native was all out under Carroll to hold the late challenge of Socrates by half a length. A large gathering of students from Limerick Institute of Technology cheered Native Stag in the winner's enclosure after the horse had represented their college in this University Challenge race.
According to Fahy, the 4/1 winner is now due to contest a novice hurdle at Thurles next week.
Another horse bound for that same Listed race in Thurles is Bodakker who benefited from a fine ride from John Sullivan to win the Ladbroke Ireland Novice Handicap Hurdle. Co Kildare trainer Jarlath Fahey has done well with the son of Bereg who has now recorded four hurdle wins and later stated 'he is tough out and is blessed more with stamina than speed.'
The father-son, trainer-rider combination of Paddy and Martin Mooney landed the JP McManus sponsored Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle with 12/1 shot Shandarr defeating the Eric McNamara trained pair Gold Flo and Homestead. Favourite backers suffered a reverse here with neither of the first four in the betting figuring at the business end.
Top jockey David Casey partnered Baily Mist to an impressive win in the most valuable event on the card, the E17,000 Ryan's Cleaners Mares Hurdle for trainer 'Mouse' Morris while Fourstargale received a proper front running ride from JT McNamara to win the winner's bumper.
Thomas Weekes.
