Walsh once again the hero as he works the oracle on King of Foxrock
The Noel Meade-trained favourite looked in command when sprawling badly and almost unseating Walsh at the third-last flight. Both horse and rider recovered but lost momentum and dropped back into fourth place before gradually reeling in the leaders and forging clear to score by a length and a half to the delight of favourite-backers.
Meade and Walsh provided another odds-on favourite in Rosaker in the Ladbrokes Country and Western Evening Hurdle. The eight-year-old made most of the running but lost out in the last hundred yards to stable companion More Rainbows, which got up to triumph by a neck.
Walsh reported to Meade that he had “not gone fast enough” on the favourite, while the successful trainer nominated either the Ulster Derby at Down Royal or a handicap at The Curragh over Budweiser Irish Derby weekend as the next target for More Rainbows.
Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden, successful on More Rainbows, doubled up when partnering Run Katie Chimes in the Nashville Mares Handicap Hurdle.
Trained by Paul Nolan, this long absent eight-year-old was in command with two to jump before idling on the run-in. However, Madden kept her going to complete his first double and bring his tally to four since joining the professional ranks recently.
Madden’s parents, trainer Niall and mother Patricia, were on the mark in the Colt 45 Handicap Hurdle when Gary Hutchinson brought San Diego with a late surge to short head the consistent but luckless Market Mariner.
With the fast ground to his liking, Due Respect opened his hurdling account in the first division of the Texas Maiden Hurdle. In front from the third, he kept going strongly to triumph under Paddy Flood.
Meanwhile at Wexford, Fran Berry rejoined Michael Kinane at the top of the Jockeys Championship table when Kentucky Charm captured the Poolcourt Ltd Maiden.
A 29th winner of the season for Berry, Kentucky Charm made every yard of the running to beat debutante Kastoria and favourite Kinger Rocks and will follow a mixed programme, on the flat and over hurdles in the months ahead.
