Class shines through as Plunkett Street wins for O'Meara With the topweight having landed the first division of the same contest just over half-an-hour earlier, the Michael O'Meara trained Plunkett Street also conceded weight all round when landing Division ll of the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle at Thurles. Caught right on the line when beaten a nose at Cork last time, the 5/1 chance tracked the leaders throughout here under Daniel King. Pushed along in fourth entering the straight, the Ryan and O'Meara Partnership owned gelding responded to pressure to head leader Lambay Island at the last. Keeping on strongly on the run-in, Plunkett Street scored by five lengths. Michael O'Meara said: "The race went to plan and while we didn't know if we'd have to go on, someone else led which I was glad about. "We'll see what way the ground goes but he'll get a break now for a couple of weeks to freshen him up. We'd be hoping for soft or yielding ground but nothing too heavy. "Myself and Jim Ryan, a former amateur jockey, own him." Regarding his former inmate Ethical Diamond, O'Meara added: "To have a horse like that to train has been a fairytale. "I look back now on that day when he won his maiden in Limerick, as Billy Lee was circling Shannon (airport) as I circled the weigh room! Billy had ridden a winner in England earlier that day so was late to arrive. "The foal half-brother who sold at Goffs yesterday (by Awtaad, for €380,000) is a smasher." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
