High Sparrow, yellow cap, toughs it out in Limerick© Photo Healy Racing
High Sparrow rounded off a terrific day for Joseph O'Brien by rallying to good effect in the bumper at Limerick.
This gave O'Brien four winners on the day - Art Nouvelle (9/2) in Lingfield and 16/1 shots Hardback and Alighted in Leopardstown were the other three. The four-timer paid 4,171/1.
High Sparrow, the 13/8 favourite, was there to be shot at by Big Nick a son of Sea The Stars, and Diamond Turf as the race unfolded coming to the final furlong.
The other two protagonists drew alongside High Sparrow at the furlong pole and in fact Diamond Turf soon edged slightly ahead.
However, High Sparrow kept finding on the rail for Tom Hamilton and gamely ground out a victory by three parts of a length.
Big Nick came second on debut at 11/4 from 7/2 with Diamond Turf close up in third at 2/1.
Tom Hamilton said: "He was second in a point-to-point for Joseph and was then sold to his present owners. I'd imagine he might now go for a winners' bumper."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
