Barry Geraghty faces another spell on the sidelines after breaking a bone in his hand on his first day back from injury at Punchestown's Friday evening fixture.
The recently crowned champion National Hunt jockey, who fractured his right thumb at Gowran Park on May 2, took a fall on only his second ride back from Elbow Maguinness in the Panda Waste Novice Chase. The injury this time is to his left hand.
Victory here went to the 1/2 favourite Always, who smoothly hit the front two out under Paul Carberry and kept on to beat Dalian Dawn by two lengths. 'He did all he had to and jumped great. I was tempted to run him by the amount of watering they had done but I wouldn't want to keep running him on this ground,' said trainer Noel Meade.
Wexford handler Paul Nolan and stable jockey John Cullen teamed up for a double with City Hall and Accordion Etoile. City Hall just got the better of a terrific finish with Loan Man in the Visit The Totesport Lounge Handicap Chase, while Accordion Etoile had a much easier time when justifying strong odds-on support in the Stephen Grainger Haulage Hurdle.
The 2/5 (from 4/7) favourite was always travelling well, and was just pushed out on the run-in to beat Dyrick Daybreak by three quarters of a length. 'I've always thought a lot of this fellow but he's had a number of problems including a cancerous growth on his fetlock joint. Hopefully he will run in the good class handicap hurdles this season,' said Nolan.
Gold Blended, just touched off here last Friday, made no mistake this time in the two miles maiden hurdle. Davy Russell sent the Goldmark mare to the front before three out, and she stayed on strongly in the straight to beat Coolfore Glen by two and a half lengths. Trainer Michael O'Brien is currently on holiday in the USA but his assistant Denis Cullen said, 'She's been in very good form all week and likes the ground. She could pick up a Flat race, and there will be plenty of opportunities for her over the summer.'
Shaalayn, trained and ridden by Pat Verling, returned to form with a vengeance when heading the front-running Camels Cross approaching the last for a comfortable six lengths win in the handicap hurdle.
Alan Magee
