Broom brushs rivals aside
A strong favourite, 11-10 from 5-4, he had this in safe keeping a fair way from home, under a confident Shay Barry drive.
The winner tracked the leaders, until Barry eased him ahead approaching the final bend. Sraid Na Cathrach tried to close up the straight, but Barry only asked for the minimum to score by a cosy two lengths.
Said Stack: "I’m delighted with that, he did it grand. I don’t know how long I will persevere with him over hurdles.
"He might go for a winners’ of one round Christmas, but is a chaser in the making. Shay gave him a great ride, he is a supreme horseman.”
Barry Geraghty, fresh from six successes last weekend, was on the mark again when taking the Devil’s Bit Novice Hurdle on Sean Treacy’s Contempo Suite.
The winner and Regal Act had it between them from the second last, but it was soon apparent Geraghty was holding all the aces.
"The Gowran (six days earlier) run brought him on”, reported Treacy. "I was worried about the trip round here, I feel he needs two and a half plus.
"He will stay hurdling for now and then come back over fences next season.”
Tom Hogan’s Mattie Mac went off favourite for the Thurles Handicap Hurdle, but fell at the fifth and broke a leg.
Anyshoewilldo held the call rising to two out, the last obstacle was omitted on the final circuit, but crashed out here, leaving Andy Higgins in front.
He made the rest, holding the persistent effort of Knockatotaun all the way to the line.
Andy Higgins is trained by Michael Purcell, who remarked: "He’s a tough horse, who takes a lot of work.
"He can jump fences as well and jumped them at the back-end as a three-year-old. We were going to go pointing with him as a four-year-old.”
Niall Madden, regarded as a youngster destined for the top, was again seen to good effect when landing the Liscahill Bumper on Noel Meade’s well-backed market leader, Euro Dilemma.
She appeared in trouble when pushed along entering the last half mile, but picked up nicely in the closing stages to beat Loughanelteen, which hung away to her left, by a head.
"She’s a grand, big mare and is a half-sister to Billywill”, reported Meade.
"We thought she’d be green and she was.”
Holycross handler John Burke (23) trained and rode his first winner on the racecourse when Tell Me See made every yard of the running to land the Clonmore Bumper.
Ultimate Accolade looked like he might swamp her with two furlongs to go, but Tell Me See rallied strongly and was well in top through the last hundred yards.
The daughter of Glacial Storm is clearly more than useful, having previously taken four points in-a-row.
Pat Flynn enjoyed a welcome turn when Miss Lauren Dee took the Horse and Jockey Handicap Hurdle. The daughter of Montelimar was only third heading to the last, but battled on strongly to grab the advantage coming away from the flight.
Berkerys Boy soon threw down a stiff challenge, but Ian Power kept Miss Lauren Dee going to gain a hard fought three parts of a length victory.
