Dermot Weld and Ruby Walsh teamed up successfully for the second time in four days, and whilst both winners were well-backed, Noble Crusader had to work harder than Vital Plot did at Kilbeggan on Friday evening, to land the Fran Murrin Memorial Maiden Hurdle at Downpatrick this afternoon.
Winner of a Cork bumper last year and placed twice this year at the Galway Summer Festival, Noble Crusader was supported from even money into 4/5 for the opener, and after being strongly pressed before the last, the Sir Michael Smurfit-owned son of Giant's Causeway kept on well to assert on the run-in, accounting for Le Reveur by three lengths.
This Moyglare Stud-bred five-year-old is a half-brother to the Beresford Stakes runner-up of 2006, Capital Exposure. Weld said of this well-bred type: "That was a great ride by Ruby. He pinged the last and is an improving sort of horse. He will now go to Galway, probably for a handicap hurdle at the September meeting. Ruby feels he needs a longer trip."
Walsh's two other mounts also headed the markets for their respective races, but neither obliged. Chicawayo was found to have sore shins after managing only seventh behind the shock 25/1 victor of the Newry Mares Maiden Hurdle, Vivid Exposure
This daughter of Fantastic Light won a low-grade Ballinrobe flat handicap in July, but two non-descript previous efforts over flights made her an outsider for this event. She is trained by Curragh-based John Quinn, with Kilkenny 7Ib claimer, Michael Butler doing the steering.
Ruby Walsh was on the 7/4 shot, Conker Nails in the Magners Cider Handicap Hurdle but when that one fell at the second, the way was left clear for another Kilkenny success, Eoin Griffin combining with Tom Doyle, as 11/2 chance, Spanish Parade beat Baguenaud by five lengths. (EM)
