On a day when jockey Ruby Walsh recorded a double at Punchestown, his weighing room colleague Paul Carberry was on board a thoroughly well deserved winner, with Noleens Moon in the Arthurstown Handicap Hurdle.
Carberry again displayed his brilliant riding ability to produce the winner from an almost impossible position at the second last flight, eventually arriving last after the last for a length win.
Trainer Philip Rothwell initially heaped praise on the winning jockey before reporting 'Noleens Moon broke both her jaws in a fall last year and the vets gave her very little hope of surviving.'
He added, 'the lads at home hand-fed her for three months on picked grass. They have done a fantastic job and deserve plenty of credit.'
Jockey Ruby Walsh seldom does wrong and partnered a double, the first of which was on Barrack Buster in the Peggy Barry-Walsh Memorial Hurdle. The mare's eight rivals were never able to get in a serious blow, with the Martin Brassil trained runner easily scoring by 25 lengths.
A delighted Brassil later reported 'I've no concrete plans because my racing calendar didn't arrive yesterday! I think there's a conditions race for her at Down Royal in November although she will avoid
handicaps.'
Walsh doubled his tally on Paddy Mullins' front running Asian Maze (16/1) in the novice hurdle. The veteran trainer mentioned that the mare 'seemed to be much happier in front, when away from other horses.'
Recently retired riding legend Philip Fenton has made a good start to his training career and saddled his second winner as a trainer when Lissbonney Project landed the opening maiden hurdle under another fine Davy Russell ride.
Jockey Barry Geraghty received a fall from Man About Town in the race and was stood down for 7 days due to concussion.
Elsewhere Sean Ahern's Count Rossini, under top amateur Aidan Fitzgerald, landed the Ingoldsby (QR) Handicap Chase while the concluding bumper went to Jessica Harrington's Django, under another excellent amateur jockey, Peter Fahey.
