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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Hilltop gets Buckley off the mark in Ireland

Tue 21st May 2024, 16:53

Noble Hilltop and Kieren Buckley (near side) come to challenge at the last Noble Hilltop and Kieren Buckley (near side) come to challenge at the last
© Photo Healy Racing

Noble Hilltop proved a memorable winner for Edward Buckley as the Churchill filly was partnered to victory in the first division of the two-and-a-half mile handicap hurdle at Punchestown by his son Kieren.

The 16/1 shot came to challenge at the last and got on top on the run-in for a two-and-three-quarter length win over Queen Kulina

It was her first outing for Buckley, who was saddling his first winner since returning to Ireland last year.

“I'm delighted with that. She's a nice little mare,” said Buckley senior.

“She had bits and pieces of form when we bought her and we thought there was a little bit of improvement in her.

“A few of the boys from England thankfully got involved in her. We picked this race out as we thought she wanted two-and-a-half miles, she was staying on over two.

“We worked her a few times and Kieren said she definitely wanted a trip. She won, it doesn't often happen like that!

“I've been here since last April, I was in England for 40 years. I was in Pipes for 20 odd years, both with Martin and David. I was there in the good old days of Carvill's Hill.

“I trained under my own name for a while in the early 90s. I had five winners from 50 runners and 45 of them weren't off! I only had a handful of runners.

“We started off here doing a bit of pre-training and breaking, there are lots of yards around Meath. Then I got the restricted licence and a couple of lads I know very kindly sent me a few horses.

“I'm based in Lee Valley near Ratoath, I rented a yard there off David Eiffe.

“We have a few youngsters and they all look great until you run them. We have a couple belonging to Jim Bolger, a nice juvenile that will run in July.

“I'm originally from Wexford hence the Jim Bolger connection. That was the first place I went to as a 15-year-old.

“He said he'd support me and fair play to him he did. He's always been good that way.”

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.