Money Spider gets in too close to the last but still won easily under Sean McDermott at Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
Money Spider lived up to her odds-on billing in the Ballymore GAA Christmas Fair & Family Fun Day 3-y-o Hurdle at Punchestown with a stylish six and a half length success in the hands of Sean McDermott.
Bred by Paul Shanahan's Lynch Bages Ltd, and a winner on the level for David Wachman, here Money Spider was a 4/6 chance on the back of a most promising hurdling bow at Thurles over three weeks back.
The successful Danehill Dancer filly, headed Dayrina in the straight before going on to prevail in easy fashion.
Winning trainer John O'Shea said: "If we didn't win that I don't know where we'd have gone. The owner's (Sarah Foran) grand-father, had Elas Image, who won the Dennys (1995) for Michael O'Brien and she'd like to go for that race.
"In a normal year she'd probably be a bit below the standard required but the three-year-olds don't seem a great crop so far.
"She's a tough little thing and it's a big help getting the 7Ibs allowance as fillies used to only get 5Ibs.
"I'd also like to say a word about Sean, doing ten stone three - he's not done that since he made his communion!" (AM & EM)
