Review thurles 3rd Apr

< Berties Dream put up a courageous front-running display to win over hurdles for the first time since the 2010 Cheltenham Festival in the feature race at Thurles.

Successful in the Albert Bartlett at Prestbury Park, the nine-year-old had been running over fences in his most recent outings, but Henry de Bromhead switched him back to the smaller obstacles for the Irish Jockeys Association Hurdle.

Sent on from the start by Davy Russell, the 9-10 favourite was being ridden along from some way out but kept finding more and though Empire Theatre looked a big danger jumping the last, the gutsy Berties Dream was still a neck ahead at the line.

De Bromhead also won with Old Laxey (9-2), who was given a real fight by favourite Spot Fine in the Bavaria Beer Maiden Hurdle but kept responding for Russell and held on by three-quarters of a length.

A maiden hurdle winner at Gowran when last seen about a year ago, the Willie Mullins-trained Shifa was sent off the 2-1 favourite for the Cashel Beginners Chase and all looked to be going smoothly when she moved up to the lead on the home bend.

But Ruby Walsh quickly pulled her up on the approach to the second-last and the way was left clear for Adrian Heskin to send Michael Hourigan's Awkward Moment (7-2) past long-time leader Rockshandy to score by three lengths.

Hourigan is in cracking form at the moment and he and Heskin teamed up for another winner when Dizzy Rascal (6-1) collared the odds-on Shrapnel to take the Arch Bar Maiden Hurdle by a head.< Galloping Gander returned from a six-month lay-off to make short work of the opposition in the Templemore Beginners Chase, breaking his duck at the 13th attempt in the process.

John O'Shea's six-year-old (7-2) jumped past favourite Der Spieler at the third-last and was always going best before coasting in by seven lengths in the hands of Sean McDermott.