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McNamara scores impressively at Punchestown |
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Written by Mal Keaveney
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Wednesday, 03 February 2010 |
ANDREW McNamara’s fine performance aboard Luska Lad (7/2) in the €40,000 Grade Two Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle was a highlight of the weekend Punchestown Meeting.
A powerful leap at the final flight handed the advantage to McNamara (from Robbie Power on Saludos, 4/5f), who maintained a strong gallop to score by almost five lengths. Luska Lad has since been cut to 25/1 (from 50s) for next month’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and to 16/1 in the Novices Hurdle, both at Cheltenham.
However, Croom pilot McNamara later revealed to trainer John Hanlon that a trip to Prestbury Park might not be the right road for now. “Andrew said this horse is two stone better going this way (right-handed). If that’s the way Andrew thinks, I’d have thought we’d miss Cheltenham. We’ll probably give him a breather and come back here (Punchestown) for the Festival.”
For the second Sunday on the trot, Limerick’s Greenmount Park staged a decent National Hunt Meeting at which jockey Paul Townend enjoyed a short-priced double. He began his afternoon in style when steering 2/5 shot Sounds of Jupiter to a smooth win in the opening www.limerickraces.ie Maiden Hurdle.
Trainer Charles Byrnes of Ballingarry said: “He will probably go for a winners’ of one now and will get an entry into the Fred Winter at Cheltenham.”
Townend completed his two-timer aboard The Kings Sword (3/1f) in the March 13th and 14th Family Racing Weekend Maiden Hurdle.
On the point-to-point front, Lisa McCormack’s Kilcolman was the star performer at the rescheduled Stonehall Harries Meeting at Askeaton.
Kilcolman made a victorious return to action to land a vintage Thatch Bar, Newbridge & Hourigan’s John Street Limerick Open Lightweight contest. “This fellow didn’t get into a hunters chase at Limerick over Christmas. There are a few hunter chases coming up over the next few weeks and he will go in one of those,” disclosed breeder/trainer/owner McCormack, herself of Kilcolman parish in West Limerick.
The winner was ridden by 20-year-old John Barry of Conna in Cork.
Seamus Braddish’s Doc Doyle, who had a couple of runs over hurdles last Spring, captured the MDU UltraSound Confined Hunt Maiden on his return to duty between the flags. Doc Doyle made his way to the front after three out and scored comfortably under the guidance of Barry John Foley.
Former champion jockey John Thomas McNamara (Croom) also made an expected visit to the winners enclosure after a successful mount of the JP McManus owned/Enda Bolger trained favourite Outlaw Pete in the Pegus Horse Feeds & Eamon O’Neill’s Bar Six-Year-Old Geldings’ Maiden.
Stonehall will stage its customary second meeting of the season at Ballysteen in May.
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