De Chissler (left) pictured on his way to victory under Roger Loughran© Photo Healy Racing
De Chissler sprang a 16/1 surprise as he took the Limerick Racecourse Vets Handicap Hurdle, scoring under Roger Loughran for trainer James Dullea.
The six-year-old son of Zagreb won a point-to-point on his penultimate start at Kinsale, and then finished sixth on his next start at Boulta.
Back on the racecourse, and tried over two miles for the first time, the bay gelding raced prominently throughout.
He hit the front at the third last, and he kept on well in the home straight, coming home seven lengths in front. Gold Not Silver finished second at 11/2 (from 13/2) under Kevin Sexton for Adrian Joyce, while Pleased As Punch was six and a half lengths back in third under Alan Crowe for Austin Leahy at 16/1. Faranadooney finished a neck back in fourth, completing the placings at 6/1, while Roman Numeral who was sent off the 7/2 favourite (from 5/1 on-course) pulled-up under Mikey Butler for Eoin Doyle.
James Dullea said afterwards: "He has always been a nice horse but he had taken ages to learn his game.
"As a young horse we thought he was very good and we always thought he was better on good ground, but when we sent him point-to-point we learned that he is better on soft, and he started to settle for the first time.
"It helped change him a lot and it made a man of him. It is great to get a win at Limerick over Christmas."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
