Progressive Celestial Horizon lays down Galway Hurdle marker

Say Goodbye and Jack Kennedy on the way to winning th Donie Sheahan Memorial Irish EBF Mares Beginners Chase. Picture: Healy Racing

Killarney welcomed a bumper crowd to the opening day of the May meeting, and they were rewarded with weather befitting a summer festival. Eight races were down for decision and the most valuable of them, the Kelly Farm Modernisation Ltd Handicap Hurdle, was won in good style by Celestial Horizon.

Twice a winner on the Flat, the Joseph O’Brien-trained four-year-old has made a good start to his hurdling career and this was his second win in six outings over timber. In front three out on this occasion, he stayed on strongly to win as he pleased.