Lite Duties (right) challenges Indian Monsoon at the last© Photo Healy Racing
Charles Byrnes pulled off a notable training achievement when producing Lite Duties off a three year lay-off to lead home a 1-2 for the yard in the featured Geraldine McCarthy Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Cork.
The son of Mountain High completed a hat-trick in 2014 but was on the sidelines for 1070 days until scoring here under a patient Mark Enright ride at 25/1 (from 50’s).
Rachael Blackmore made the 2m4f event a stern test on Tout Est Permis who only gave best approaching the final flight. Indian Monsoon led over the last but it was stable-companion Lite Duties who proved the stronger in the closing stages to win by a length and three quarters. Montys Meadow was just half a length away in third.
Byrnes said, "He broke down very badly the last day he ran in Punchestown and we didn't think we'd ever get him back. We were half-trying to get him back but it wasn't scanning good enough to keep going.
"It still wouldn't feel great but we said we'd keep the head down and keep going with him so it's great he has won and every day is a bonus.
"He stays three miles and it was that that won it. He's nine now and we have to play it day by day as it was 60% damage he had to his tendon and it was two thirds the length of the tendon as well.
"He had been working closely with the second horse but I did think he'd need the run. I'm delighted for the owner (Eamonn Casey) as another fellow would have given up on him."
(TW & AM)
