Less than 24 hours after he had won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham Davy Russell was back in the winners’ enclosure at Limerick on Saturday when he teamed up with trainer Charles Byrnes to win the Munster Supporters Club Mares Maiden Hurdle with Feenakilmeedy
Narrowly beaten on her last appearance at the track she was sent off the evens favourite and after leading at the second-last quickened away to score by two lengths.
Russell and Byrnes were denied in the opening maiden hurdle when the odds-on Kerrieonvic was overtaken in the closing stages by 7-1 chance Golden Plan.
Russell had to settle for another second when the odds-on Lord Adare jinked approaching the second last in the Tote Jackpot (C & G) Maiden Hurdle to hand the advantage to the John Murphy trained Todd (12/1) who went on to win by three parts of a length.
Eric McNamara’s Sir Harry Cash (8/1) was an impressive winner of the Family Day 30th March Handicap Hurdle finishing four lengths ahead of Makethedifference.
Martin Cullinane’s sprang a 33/1 surprise when winning the www.thetote.com Handicap Hurdle while the concluding bumpers were won by Poker School (6/1) for Nina Carberry and Ardnahoe (10/1) in the hands of Katie Harrington.
Sunday’s Limerick card included the Grade 2 Dawn Run novice chase where trainer Sean O’Brien recorded his first graded success thanks to Caoimhe’s Delight (5/1).
English raider Baby Shine looked to have the valuable race at his mercy but took a crashing fall at the last allowing Caoimhe’s Delight in the hands of Davy Condon to score by one and three quarters lengths over Civena with Backinthere in third.
The Kevin Prendergast trained Katie T (13/2) got the better of odds on favourite Urticaire to land the Grade 3 Kerry Group Novice Hurdle by half a length.
The Gigginstown House Std bandwagon kept rolling with another brace. Once And Always (11/2) ridden by five pounds claimer Jody McGarvey won the 2m5f handicap hurdle by five lengths from Some Officer while Patrick Mullins had no trouble steering odds on favourite Milsean (4/7) to a 25 lengths win in the bumper over Montys Meadow.
Davy Russell completed a marvellous few days with yet another winner. The Gold Cup winning jockey teamed up with Charles Byrnes again to win the beginners chase over 2m1f with even money favourite Domination.
The famous maroon covers of Gigginstown were also among the winners at Navan where the Dessie Hughes trained Thunder And Roses (5/1) had a length to spare over The Westener Boy in the 2m7f novice hurdle.
The most valuable race on the Navan card, the novice handicap chase over three miles, was won by the Liam Burke trained Mr Murphy (7/1cf). Sent into the lead at the last by Robbie Power Mr Murphy stayed on gamely to get the better of More Madness by one and a quarter lengths.
Le Vent d’Antan (2/5)completed a double for trainer Liz Doyle when he opened his account over hurdles in style by easily winning the Navan Shamrock Festival Hurdle over two and a half miles in the hands of Barry Geraghty.
Doyle had earlier sent out Glen Beg (11/1) to win the 2m Kilberry Handicap Hurdle by one and a half lengths from Somethingwonderful.
There was a welcome win for Wexford trainer Colm Murphy in the opening maiden hurdle when Mikey Fogarty steered Cracking Chap (5/1) to a two lengths win over 6/4f Macnicholson. It completed an excellent few days for the conditional jockey who notched up his first success at the Cheltenham Festival when he partnered the Willie Mullins trained Don Poli to victory in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle on Gold Cup Day.
Catherine Power