Limerick racing connections enjoy bumper spell on the track

ARDNACRUSHA conditional jockey Diarmuid Moloney rode his first racecourse winner as he guided the Grainne O'Connor-trained Brandy Harbour to a runaway success in the two-mile handicap hurdle at Limerick on Tuesday.

The strong 3/1 favourite led before the fourth-last hurdle and raced clear early in the straight to score by 14 lengths in the colours of the Latin Partnership. Moloney said, “I’m 24 and I’m with Paurick and Derek O'Connor, and Brian McMahon. I had one winner in point-to-points and that’s my first racecourse winner. It’s a great feeling.

"I was with Paul Nicholls for a year but I broke my hand and decided to come home as there are more opportunities here.”

Next into the winners’ enclosure was Newmarket-On-Fergus trainer Aengus King who saw Chainofconsequence come from off the pace under Gavin Brouder to land the two-mile five-furlong handicap hurdle. In King’s own colours, the 25/1 chance scored by a length and a half from the Michael McDonagh-trained 100/30 joint-favourite Positive Thinker which was ridden by Cathal Landers.

The Connie Donegan-owned Well Polly was a winner for Ballingarry trainer Jennifer Lee in the three-mile opportunity handicap hurdle. Ridden by Daniel King, the 15/2 chance raced clear early in the straight to beat the Austin Leahy-trained Problem solver by four lengths, a second winner for the trainer and the first at her local racecourse.

Amateur rider Aine O'Connor was another local winner as she won the ladies’ mares’ bumper. Partnering 7/4 favourite Shecouldbeanything for Gordon Elliott, the five-year-old made all the running to win by six and a half lengths from the Sam Curling-trained Della Casa Lunga.

Trainer Charles Byrnes helped Dylan Browne McMonagle complete a double at Dundalk on Friday evening where Wajaaha won the second division of the apprentice handicap. The winner of a selling hurdle at Plumpton on his previous start, the 9/4 favourite missed the break from the stalls and came from last to first to beat the Ado McGuinness-trained Lariat by half a length.

The champion apprentice was earlier successful on the Joseph O'Brien-trained Excesso Velocidad in the six-furlong fillies’ maiden. Chris Hayes was back in the winners’ enclosure for the first time since his wedding six days earlier as he took the two-mile handicap on the Matthew Smith-trained Cozone.

Owned by the Spoonful Of Irish Syndicate, the 8/1 chance got the better of the Noel Meade-trained Lunar Power by a head with the Charles Byrnes-trained Boom Boom Boom a length and a quarter away in third place.

Athea trainer Eoin McCarthy won the two-mile handicap hurdle at Gowran Park with the 8/1 chance Marelly. Owned by the Give Her Welly Marelly Syndicate, the five-year-old led before the final hurdle to score by two and a quarter lengths from Shark Hanlon’s A Mere Bagatelle.

Upcoming Fixtures

Punchestown – Tuesday, November 29 (First Race 11.45pm)

Dundalk – Wednesday, November 30 (First Race 2pm)

Thurles - Thursday, December 1 (First Race 12.32pm)

Dundalk – Friday, December 2 (First Race 5pm)

Fairyhouse – Saturday, December 3 (First Race 11.35pm)

Fairyhouse – Sunday, December 4 (First Race 11.55am)