Touch Back takes the opener at Leopardstown

Donal Murphy

Published at Dec 26, 2011, 12:44

The opening race of the four day Leopardstown Christmas Festival, the Racingpost.com Maiden Hurdle, went to recent Thurles bumper winner Touch Back for his trainer Christy Roche with Alan Crowe aboard.

Sent to post the 9/4 second favourite the son of Shantou jumped the last alongside the 4/6 favourite, the Willie Mullins trained Marasonnien but found more on the run in and went on to score by four and three parts of a length.

The Robert Tyner trained Strange Talk ran at cracker at the odds of 50/1 to finish three and a half lengths back in third.

Winning trainer Christy Roche said afterwards: "It's nice to be back with a Leopardstown horse again. I wouldn't be getting carried away with him but he is probably the best horse I have at the moment."

Bookmakers Sean Graham introduced the winner at 20/1 for the Supreme Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

12.20

Racingpost.com M'dn H'dle €11,500.00 2m 2f

1st

Touch Back (IRE)

9/4

Tote €3.20 €1.20

2nd

4.75L

Marasonnien (FR)

4/6Fav

€1.20

3rd

3.5L

Strange Talk (IRE)

50/1

€12.40

4th

Trupenny Bit (IRE)

33/1

Full Result

About Donal Murphy

Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.

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