Totally Dominant (near side) and Arctic Skipper jump the last together © Photo Healy Racing
Ruby Walsh notched up a half century of winners for the current campaign when getting Totally Dominant up in the closing stages of the thurles.ie Maiden Hurdle which was run in a snow shower.
The War Chant gelding was easy in the market drifting out to 11/4 having been around 2/1 this morning.
Walsh tracked the pace on the six-year-old and really galvanised the American bred in the closing stages to touch off Arctic Skipper by a neck. Isabellesprincess was a further three and a quarter lengths back in third, while 9/4 favourite Cest Notre Gris weakened after two out to finish sixth.
The jockeys wore black armbands in every race on today's card in memory of recently deceased Thurles owner/manager Pierce Molony.
Winning trainer Willie Mullins said, "He couldn't face into that wind in the straight and it's hard to keep a horse in front in those conditions but Ruby said he liked that ground.
"We'll probably move him up to two and a half miles and on that ground he should have no problems."
Walsh said, "The snow is driving into your face down the straight and when we jumped the second last I couldn't really get him to run into it but eventually he did. It's horrible!"
(TW & AM)
