A mucky Casimir Road in the parade ring after the race with Paul Carberry in the background© Photo Healy Racing
Casimir Road for Michael Grassick and Paul Carberry stayed on best to win the Friday Evening Racing Maiden Hurdle at the odds of 7/2.
For the second race in succession Ruby Walsh led over the last aboard the favourite (Dara Tango at 9/4) but he couldn’t hold off the challenge of the winner who swept past before keeping on best to win by a length.
The Tony Martin trained favourite plugged on for second with the Cyprusormilan for Jimmy and Paddy Mangan was a further four lengths back in third at 9/2.
The winner, who is a 4yo son of High Chaparral, was previously trained by Jim Bolger, where he failed to score on his six starts on the level for him.
Having finished a good fourth at Gowran in February in a maiden hurdle behind Ballynacree he ran well again last time out to finish just under three lengths third to Authinger at Tramore earlier this month.
Between those two runs he had disappointed on the level at Limerick.
Winning trainer Michael Grassick said afterwards: "I was a little bit worried about the ground but it didn’t seem to bother him and he galloped through it. The jockey was good too.
"His owner (Patrick McKeon) is a Tipperary man and he would be keen to go to Killarney. He will probably mix it now between the flat and hurdles."
Donal Murphy & Alan Magee
