Kimi strikes gold at the tenth attempt over hurdles Kimi De Mai (13/8) took the opener at Limerick, which was a mares' maiden hurdle sponsored by PWC over two miles and 125 yards. A winner of three of her four starts in bumpers in France, Willie Mullins' charge had been placed in five previous hurdles runs. The daughter of Non Rien De Rien was a runner-up last time out in Roscommon when her stamina was stretched. However, Paul Townend took a lead on the six-year-old grey, before producing his challenge after the second last. The Siobhan Madden-owned mare took the lead at the last and kept on well to score by two and a quarter lengths. Winning rider Townend commented, "I thought she was home and hosed in Roscommon the last day, and couldn't believe we got beaten. Today, I was conscious and anxious to take a lead and Darragh (O'Keeffe, on Brickfield Belle) was slowly away from the second-last but was still able to bring us to the last, and my mare galloped out to the line. "We were able to use her experience and fitness today and it is nice to get a win on the board with her, as she had been disappointing in some bits of her form. I don't know if she would be in love with winter ground but she is very well bred, so we'll see what the owners want to do with her." Additional reporting by Tom Weekes.
