Farouk D'alene and Jody McGarvey jump the last© Photo Healy Racing
Jody McGarvey completed an opening races double at Limerick today and completed the feat as a substitute in the rescheduled Grade 2 Lyons Of Limerick Jaguar Novice Hurdle, on the Gordon Elliott trained winner Farouk D'alene
The E35,000 contest was the only race brought forward from yesterday's cancelled racemeeting and as a result there were no less than five jockey changes in the eight runner race with McGarvey replacing Keith Donoghue, booked to ride at Leopardstown, on Farouk D'alene,
In the race the son of Racinger battled well to fend off the challenge of Vanillier and hold on for a three parts of a length win.
Afterwards McGarvey stated “it is very tough work out there and it takes a lot of getting. It was my first time riding him and he was super tough, jumped and travelled beautifully. He dug deep up the straight when I needed him and ground it out well to the line.
“I was confident he'd stay but we went a nice enough gallop for the ground and it was going to be hard work but thankfully I was able to save enough before the turn-in to get me home.”
Following the race, there were five later-in-the-day withdrawals, three by trainer Noel Meade, one from Tony Martin and another from Farouk D'alene's trainer Gordon Elliott, all due to the very testing ground conditions.
