Dancing Tornado (blinkers) races away from the last ahead of Stonemaster (centre) and Shop Dj © Photo Healy Racing
< Dancing Tornado (14-1) rolled back the years in the Easter Time Hurdle at Thurles.
The race lost some of its lustre with the withdrawal of last year's winner Berties Dream, but each of the remaining four runners held every chance as they swung into the straight.< Catch Me was the first to crack, as Stonemaster went head to head with Shop DJ, but Jody McGarvey gained a run along the inside on the 12-year-old Dancing Tornado, who proved a willing partner and scored by a length.< Lord Ben returned to action with a gritty display to see off Toner D'Oudairies in the Templemore Beginners Chase.
Henry de Bromhead had kept his 9-2 shot off the scene since a spill at Gowran Park back in October, but he lacked nothing in the way of fitness because he stuck his neck out again when challenged after the last and crossed the line with half a length to spare.< Darenjan (11-1) was another to reappear after a winter holiday and ran out a fortunate winner of the Thurles Racecourse Handicap Chase.< Uncle Tom Cobley had established a sizeable advantage over the rest of the field but he got the third-last all wrong, allowing Darenjan to seize the initiative, and although Uncle Tom Cobley tried to rally, Darenjan had too much in the locker and scored by eight lengths.< Forty Foot Tom made it third-time lucky over fences in the Cashel Beginners Chase.
Danny Miley's eight-year-old was sent off at 9-2 on the back of a Down Royal second and he had just taken the lead when closest pursuer Mackeys Forge departed two out, allowing Forty Foot Tom to coast home 20 lengths clear of Playtime Ben < Pyrus Gold Wind gained reward for his consistency by justifying 11-8 favouritism in the Easter Bunny Maiden Hurdle, while the Spring Lamb Maiden Hurdle went the way of 13-8 market leader Hunting Party
