A former Cheltenham Festival winner running in a Flat maiden at Tramore with Ruby Walsh booked to ride at 10st and allowed to start at 4/1 does not add up. However, Tom Mullins' Liberman did provide that unlikely sequence of events when winning the Queally Group Maiden.
Liberman, the winner of the 2003 Cheltenham Bumper, received another perfectly judged Ruby Walsh ride to lead close home for a half length win over Moydrum Castle.
Afterwards, Mullins stated 'he lost his way in England and the owner brought him home to run in Ireland. The change of scenery seems to have helped and Ruby said there may be more improvement in him. He'll probably go for a hurdle race now but could go for another suitable Flat event.'
Amateur jockey Denis Cullen proved his worth when getting the better of Ruby Walsh to win the Mean Fiddler Organisation Chase on Michael O'Brien's Swordplay.
A winner on his chase debut at Galway recently, Swordplay needed all of Cullen's strength approaching the final fence where a good jump helped him get the better of Warrens Castle and Walsh.
O'Brien was absent although Cullen did report 'Swordplay is dynamite over fences and there are plenty more races for him now.'
Trainer Tom Hogan's good recent run continued with his Rooftop Protest providing another win for the jump jockeys with David Casey on board to win the two mile handicap.
The opening Bank Of Ireland Maiden Hurdle went to Harry Rogers' Noel's Luck. Philip Carberry held the gelding up in mid division before making steady progress to lead at the final flight, eventually recording a two and a half length
Thomas Weekes.
