Racegoers in Sligo today witnessed Ruby Walsh riding at his best, as the Kildare jockey again showed why he is in such demand in England at present. Walsh was on the mark twice for trainers Willie Mullins and Tony Martin.
Walsh opened his account on Mullins' Carolina who ran out an easy fifteen length winner of the Cregg Mares Hurdle. Jamie Codd, representing Willie Mullins (at Goffs Sales), stated 'Carolina ran a cracker in Punchestown last time and will revert to the Flat if the ground improves. That is the first win for the Railbus Racing Club who have had horses for the six years.'
Walsh later gave Tony Martin's Bizet a forceful drive to win the Mote Handicap Hurdle. Bizet, who had been suspended from running for 42 days last November after the stewards deemed that the racecourse had been used as a training ground, was completing a hat-trick for local owner Aidan Foley. Martin stated 'Bizet has had his problems but should now make a lovely chaser in time. He will not run on firm ground and may now be left off.'
Christy Roche's Kadiskar gained his first career success when effortlessly winning the Knockbeg Maiden Hurdle. The full brother to Derby winner Kahyasi was ridden by Roche's stable amateur Alan Crowe who eased Kadiskar to the front at the second last. At the line, Kadiskar defeated Greenhall Rambler by fourteen lengths.
Eamonn 'Dusty' Sheehy's Princess Alannah was another to lose her maiden status after winning the Owenmore Handicap Hurdle under promising five pound claimer Alan Donoghue. Sheehy, another trainer who was at Goffs Landrover Sale, was represented by Michael Moran who stated 'Princess Alannah has been very consistant but the cheek pieces probably helped today.'
The final two bumpers saw Aidan Fitzgerald triumph on the Charlie Swan trained Ransboro while Leaving Cert student Andrew Lynch recorded his first Bumper win on Alan O'Connell's Leading Springs.
Thomas Weekes.
