Limestone Lad got his season off to a disappointing start when soundly beaten in the Junction Hurdle at a rain-lashed Mallow yesterday.
The popular eight-year-old gelding was sent off the 4/7 favourite for the two and a half mile event. However he failed to jump with his normal fluency for Shane McGovern, and could find no extra when headed two out by Bannow Bay, who went on to score by five lengths. Michael Bowe and McGovern both blamed recent schooling over fences for the jumping errors, and the gelding 'may or may not' be switched to fences. He remains 6/1 joint favourite with Monsignor for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham next March.
Bernstein could be heading to Churchill Downs next month for the Breeders Cup Mile after returning to form in the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Home Of Champions Concorde Stakes.
The Storm Cat colt, disappointing in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York last time, dug deep in the testing ground for Seamus Heffernan to touch off Cobourg Lodge by a head, with Conormara two and a half lengths back in third.
'I would love to run him in the Breeders Cup Mile, and there is a big chance he will go there,' said trainer Aidan O'Brien, who added: 'We knew he had plenty of class, and now we know he has courage.'
The Ballydoyle trainer was completing a double having earlier taken division one of the Nenagh EBF Maiden with newcomer Hans Anderson. The Colm O'Donoghue-ridden juvenile also had a battle on her hands before edging out fellow 2/1 joint favourite Honour The Pledge by a neck.
Molly-O provided Curragh trainer Mick Halford with his 20th winner of the Flat season when defying topweight under Fran Berry in the Cashel EBF Fillies Handicap. 'She is so game and honest, and we may have a crack at a Listed race before the end of the season,' said Halford.
