Champion Jump Jockey Ruby Walsh, due to be married next Monday week, signed off from his last working day as a single man with a double at Kilbeggan today, on a day when Paul Carberry aggravated a shoulder injury.
Carberry received a fall from Ballysheedy in the Carroll Cuisine Real Food Handicap Hurdle and his injury was the same one he suffered when bruising his shoulder in a fall at Navan recently.
The race saw Walsh complete his double, timed his run to perfection on Brassil's Cunninghams Folly to win the Carroll Cuisine Real Food Handicap Hurdle by one length.
Afterwards, Brassil stated 'I hate running my horses on fast ground but this horse is light framed and doesn't handle the soft ground. Ruby gave him a fabulous ride.'
The opening leg of the Walsh double was on Michael O'Brien's Caherme in the opening William Glynn Memorial Maiden Hurdle.
The gelded son of Anabaa raced in mid division, made progress from three out, and although he looked set for second place at the final flight, responded well for Walsh, to head Forever Free on the run-in, for a two and a half length win.
O'Brien was represented by his son-in-law Denis Cullen who reported 'Caherme had been showing bits of form on winter ground but we won't set the bar too high yet. Ruby gave him a great ride.'
Tony Mullins' Stadium Project recorded a less than straightforward two length win in the T & V Novice Hurdle, under Mark Watts.
The Luso gelding looked unlikely to win at the third last, when under pressure in third.
The winner got the front despite pecking at the next, and an untidy jump at the final flight failed to stop his run, eventually staying on well to defeat Scrum Half.
Mullins later commented 'I didn't think he looked like he handled the track so it was a good performance to win. He'll go to Galway, on the Thursday, for a novice hurdle.'
Rolling Home, under Denis O'Regan substituting for Paul Carberry, could be counted as one of the unluckiest losers of the season, following his last fence fall in the Carroll Cuisine Premium Ham Beginners Chase
Rolling Home had stretched 15 lengths clear of his rivals but seemed to dive at the final fence, fell and left Pharviva, under Robbie Power, to come home two and a half lengths in front of Jack Monday.
Winning trainer Michael Halford later joked 'I'll have to do the lotto on the way home tonight!'
Jockey Paul Flynn recorded his first winner since breaking his elbow at the end of 2005, when causing a 20/1 surprise on Iggy Madden's Air Of Confusion in the Carroll Cuisine Real Soup Handicap Hurdle.
Jockey Davy Russell combined with Philip Fenton to ride his 14th race of the new season when guiding Kings Orchard to win the Carroll Cuisine Handicap Chase.
