Pires wins - but Martin rules out Galway

TONY MARTIN abandoned any thoughts of going to Galway with Pires, after his well-backed five-year-old had won the Londis Close To You Novice Hurdle at the concluding stage of a very successful Killarney Festival yesterday.

“I don’t see any point in taking him to Galway after that, he wouldn’t come up the hill”, reported Martin.

This was a vintage display from the saddle by Davy Russell, as he bided his time on the favourite, a little 2’s to 5-4.