Punters who kept faith in Church rewarded with Curragh win Kilkenny based trainer Alan McIntyre sent out Moonhall Church to win the James Nolan's Bar Kildare Town Handicap at the Curragh. A Claiming Race winner at Fairyhouse last season, the three-year-old had suffered an interrupted passage when mid division at Leopardstown on her reappearance earlier this month. Always prominent here under Leigh Roche, the 12/1 chance headed long-time leader Verhoyen over two-furlongs out. Despite being strongly pressed by both Empress Artemis and Pallatine Hills close home, the filly stayed on well to prevail by three-quarters-of-a-length. “It means a lot to have a winner here, especially on Derby weekend,” said McIntyre. “She’s a filly that’s owned by my mother. She won as a two-year-old last year for us and we gave her a break, the winter off, and she came back really strong. I’d say she improved plenty from two to three. “I thought it was a good run in Leopardstown the last day and I was just hoping that she’d come on from it and do what she did there today. “I picked her up for 10 grand. He’s by Churchill and I’d say you could even go hurdling with her, she likes soft ground. If I still have her that might be an option.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
