Muirhead (10/1) for the in-form team of Noel Meade and Paul Carberry ran out a comfortable winner of the feature race at Limerick this afternoon the Grade A Ladbrokes.com Munster National Handicap Chase.
The 8yo son of Flemensfirth was of course a top class hurdler winning the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle back in 2007. He failed to win any major pot over hurdles after that but was second in three Grade 1 Hurdles, including the 2010 Aintree Hurdle.
Having won by just an neck on his first start over fences at Punchestown last October he disappointed next time out in a Grade 3 Novice Chase at Cork also in October.
He then took a break and reappeared at Tipperary in July over hurdles, finishing sixth behind Captain Cee Bee in the Grade 3, Grimes Hurdle.
He caught the eye on his next start at the Galway Festival staying on strongly up the hill to finish third to Sarteano in a 2m 6f chase.
However he went back over hurdles on his last two starts winning at Ballinrobe in early August and finishing fourth behind Plan A at Fairyhouse last month.
Back over fences today he done well to avoid the carnage at the first as Glenstal Abbey fell and brought down both Tinakellylad and For A Finish
He was waited with towards the rear after that and made progress from halfway.
He closed up on the leaders from before the straight and took up the running before the last, asserting on the run-in and holding off the challenge of the 7/2 favourite Bideford Legend by length and three parts at the line. Uncle Junior finished twelve lengths back in third at 9/1 for Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins while Elysian Rock was further length and a half back in fourth at 12/1.
Top weight For Bill who was sent off at 6/1 could only manage seventh
Winning trainer Noel Meade said afterwards: "I don't know how he got through them fallers at the first. They seem to come down right in front of him. We got the luck there.
"He has very little mileage over fences. The Kerry National was the plan all along but the ground got heavy for him so we said we would come here instead. He doesn’t like the ground too heavy.
"The Troytown Chase at Navan is a possibility now or the Hennessy in England, the handicapper is hardly going to be too easy on him.
"We spent a whole season with him trying to make him a Champion Hurdler where he was beaten in a lot of races."
Tom Doyle suffered facial injuries after being brought down aboard Tinakellylad.
