Quick-fire double for Russell
Russell made every yard of the running on the Charlie Swan-trained Crooked Throw in the opening Lingstown Maiden Hurdle, the five-year-old staying on strongly to beat locally-trained favourite Escrea convincingly.
Swan will now try to find a ‘winners of one’ for Crooked Throw, which is owned by the Hogan Wood Whelan Syndicate, which includes former rugby internationals Keith Wood and Pa Whelan.
The JP McManus-owned Whizbang, trained by Edward O’Grady, completed Russell’s double in the INH Stallion Owners Maiden Hurdle, stretching clear from the second last flight to slam Cloone Leader by 11 lengths.
Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus, said: “Edward thought he came on well from his recent run at Punchestown and we’ll try to find a winner’s race for him now. He should keep improving.”
Man-of-the-moment Russell partnered the well-backed Ransboro in the later Dunbrody Beginners Chase. But the Charlie Swan-trained gelding, backed from 5/1 to 3/1, crashed out of the race four fences from home.
And it needed all of Ruby Walsh’s strength and expertise to get uneasy favourite Livingstonebramble past Moscow Court at the final fence before recording an ultimately convincing win.
“He’s had more than his share of training problems,” said winning trainer Willie Mullins, “but he has always been a decent horse.”
Colm Murphy, whose stable star Brave Inca will do battle with Solerina in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse tomorrow, received a timely boost when Alan Donoghue got Allez Petit Luis up in the last stride to deny front-runner Macs Bet in the Bree Handicap Hurdle.
And champion amateur-elect Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden was on the mark again when partnering the Noel Meade-trained debutant Derravarra Eagle to victory in the finale, the Island Flat Race.
