Paul Nolan's Accordian Etoile was the star of the show at Tipperary today, running out the impressive winner of the featured E60,000 Betdaq.com Hurdle. John Cullen's mount raced prominently before striking the front at the second last flight, eventually beating the Christy Roche trained pair Grimes and Risk Accessor.
Nolan was not present but his brother James was understandably excited by the run, stating 'today was his first serious performance. We always regarded him as a very good horse and he is still only a five year old. He'll have a break now before coming back here for the John James Memorial Hurdle in October.'
Nolan later completed an across the card double when Shuil Le Bob won the bumper at Sligo.
Former Champion Flat Trainer Jim Bolger was not present at the meeting but that did not prevent his yard recording a double, with Roman Rose in the opening two year old maiden and Leeside Music in the Tolpuddle Maiden.
Roman Rose, who made an eye-catching debut at Roscommon recently, raced prominently under Kevin Manning and eventually held Dermot Weld's King Of Tory by half a length. Bolger reported, by phone, that the winner will now go for a Nursery.
Leeside Music completed the Bolger-Manning double, again beating a Dermot Weld representative, when justifying 4/7 favouritism in the 1m1f maiden.
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap saw a reverse of recent course and distance form with Pat Flynn's Foxhollow Lady benefiting from an 11lb turn around with today's runner-up Irish Verse. The pair were separated by four lengths on their last meeting but fought out a thrilling battle from a furlong out, with Danny Grant eventually forcing Foxhollow Lady home in front by a short head.
Flynn later reported 'she will probably run in a similar race at Galway but she barely stays seven furlongs.'
The E32,000 Byrne Handicap Chase, traditionally a good trial for the Galway Plate, was won, appropriately, by Wests Awake representing Galwaymen Iggy Madden, trainer and Graham Lee, jockey.
A delighted Madden later mentioned 'he is a possible for the Galway Plate, depending on the weights.' The Grand National winning rider was recording his first winner in Ireland since he leaving for England, October 1993.
The Stone Throwers Handicap saw Gerry Stack's After Shock finish ahead of his ten rivals in the five furlong dash, under Seamus Heffernan while Ruby Walsh partnered Lasquini Du Moulin to win the O'Dwyer Tarmac Hurdle for Willie Mullins.
The concluding bumper went to Pat Doyle's Murrosie, under the trainer's nephew John King.
Thomas Weekes.
