Rushmount a poignant winner for Sweeney and Hayes Top-weight Rushmount was a comfortable winner of the extended two-miles-six-furlongs handicap hurdle in Thurles. It was steady fractions for a long way which meant the race turned into a dash and it clearly suited the highest-rated horse in the field. Brian Hayes sent the 5/6 favourite on after two out and despite flicking through the last, his mount found an extra gear on the run-in to sweep home by a far from extended three lengths. Machismo filled the runner-up berth at 8/1 and was a length and a-half in front of Ad Caelum (22/1). Hayes said: "He would be just a better horse than all of those. He travelled very easy and I didn't want it to turn into too much of a sprint just in case he was outsprinted. When I opened him up at the top of the straight, he duly obliged. "He ran a cracker at Dublin (Racing Festival, fourth at Leopardstown). Jonathan (Sweeney) minds them and he gets the best out of them, a good week for him. "I'd just like to say that that is actually Michael O'Sullivan's horse and he won a race on him. We are all still thinking of him. His brother, Alan, had a great weekend with three winners and it was great to see. I must say I watched two of the races and he was very good. I think Alan could be a top-class jockey as well, like his brother. We are all still thinking of him." Sweeney added: "This horse is actually on the front page of today's racecard with Michael O'Sullivan riding. I have another (racecard) at home with him again on the front page so, I'll hold on to them as Michael was a good friend and a super talent. He was probably on the horse's back today. "Brian is a gentleman, comes in as often as he can, is a worker and a top-class rider so I'm delighted for him. He said they hacked around today and didn't want it to turn into a sprint. "The horse had a pile of weight to carry, so still had to do it. I don't know what there is for him now until Punchestown, so Aintree is an option as the boys (Limerick-based Apex Flight Syndicate) would have no bother travelling!" Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
