Acapela continues Hughes’ domination in Thurles

Acapela Bourgeois, second leg of a double for Ruby Walsh, continued the remarkable record of the Hughes family in the Grade 2 At The Races Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle in Thurles yesterday.

In the colours of the Slaneyside Syndicate, the six-year-old made all under Walsh and survived a last flight blunder before beating Nambour by five lengths to give the Hughes’ Osborne Lodge team a fifth successive win in the race – the late Dessie won three-in-a-row with Lyreen Legend, Bright New Dawn and Giantofaman before Sandra continued the tradition last year with Sub Lieutenant and followed-up with Acapela Bourgeois.

“It’s fabulous to keep it in the family, ” stated the winning trainer. “This horse is as hard as nails and improving all the time. Ruby was impressed by him and said the track didn’t suit him. He’s a big-striding horse and would prefer a more galloping track. But it was a very good performance. It was a novice mistake at the last, but he had never gone down to a hurdle that quickly before.”