Moment on the mark
Emotional Moment turned the Alo Duffin Memorial Galmoy Hurdle into a procession at Gowran Park today.
The eight-year-old, trained by Tom Taaffe, made all the running to take this Grade Three contest over three miles by 25 lengths.
Barry Geraghty dictated proceedings from the start, enjoying an uncontested lead from Homer Wells and Rosaker with the other runner Calling Classy also well adrift.
Once Geraghty picked up the tempo in the last mile, the 8-11’s rivals were unable to make inroads and Emotional Moment ran out an easy winner.
Geraghty was completing a quick double having taken the opening Dinn Ri Maiden Hurdle on Dalton (10-11) for Edward O’Grady.
Emotional Moment is now a 14-1 chance from 20s with the sponsors for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
A delighted Taaffe said: "He must be getting better and I know it sounds crazy after running three miles on heavy ground, but he hasn't really had a race today.
“He’ll now go for Boyne Hurdle at Navan next month and then onto the World Hurdle at Cheltenham. He’s probably improved quite a bit without us realising it. He’s really got his confidence back after a couple of falls over fences last season.”
Numbersixvalverde (8-1) got up in the dying strides to deny front-running Kymandjem in the Goulding Thyestes Handicap Chase.
Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden brought Martin Brassill’s charge with a steady run to challenge Kymandjem at the final fence and in a thrilling finish, won by a short head.
Bizet, the 4-1 favourite, was third with Catalpa Cargo fourth.
Kymandjem, trained by Paul Nolan, had seen off several rivals in the straight and was only denied victory on the line.
Brassill, celebrating his biggest win in 10 years training, said: "This horses loves jumping fences and things happen a bit slower than over hurdles and that suits him.
“He’s a horse that needs plenty of individual attention. He works much better on his own and he’s not the type that you can work with three or four others on the gallops.
“He may go to Navan next on March 5 for the EBF Novice Chase Series Handicap Final. He’ll possibly be entered for the Irish Grand National and he’ll always want a bit of ease in the ground.”
