Campbell Black strikes on handicap debut Available at 12/1 overnight and well supported before racing, Campbell Black (11/2) came from a long way off the pace to land the Connolly's RED MILLS Ladies Handicap Hurdle over an extended two-miles at Thurles. Trained by William Harvey for his wife Niamh and led up by their jockey son Ben, the Mahler gelding started to pick off rivals going to the second-last and continued to make progress on the run to the final flight. A fluent leap there carried him to the front and he stayed on well to score by a hard-fought neck from Orlando Spirit. The successful handicap debutant provided Lelia Byrne, who won a bumper for trainer John McConnell at Bellewstown last summer, with her first winner over jumps. The winning rider explained "That is my fourth ride over hurdles, and he was a great ride and did everything right. It was an open race, but he always runs well and I decided to drop him out and take my time. There was plenty of pace on and he kept going well. "He is very genuine, loves his job and is such a lovely horse. "My mum and dad are here, my brother, auntie and uncle so it's brilliant. I had ridden one winner previously, am in Willie Harvey's every morning and do the books (accounts) for John (McConnell) as well." Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
