The legendary Fergie Sutherland, best known as the trainer of the 1996 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Call, died yesterday in Marymount Hospice, Cork following a long illness. He was 81.

ADRIAN MAGUIRE didn’t half celebrate in style in the press room at Limerick last Sunday, after his Golden Kite had beaten Fisher Bridge a short head in the Munster National.

DERMOT WELD’S Queen Astrid stormed into Cheltenham Royal and SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle contention with a 20 lengths success in the Murray O’Laoire Architects’ Mares Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.