Fitting Bowe-family success in Limestone Lad Hurdle Bowe-homebred Glen Kiln (4/1) fittingly landed the Grade 3 Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle today, as the relation of the race-titled 35-time-winner scored using the family’s customary bold front-running tactics. The seven-year-old had previously finished 19-lengths runner-up to Lossiemouth in November’s Morgiana Hurdle and, down in grade today, adopted more forceful tactics under jockey Brian Hayes, when fending off Karbau by a length. Reappearing former Grade 1-winner Farren Glory took third, with well-regarded Workahead in fourth. Glen Kiln descends from Limestone Lad’s dam Miss Kiln (1976) and is further descended from legendary 1900s racemare Pretty Polly, whose ‘line’ also produced high-class Cheltenham-winner Drumlargan. Owner Michael Bowe, former handler of Limestone Lad, revealed “I got very emotional and all I could do was cry! You breed them, rare them and bring them to this, so I am thrilled to bits. It doesn’t get any better. “Knowing the breed and how genuine the horse is, making the running helps him. If you were going to the sales, you would pick him out as he is a model of a horse and is lovely. We’re very lucky to have him, Harry has four for me at the moment and we have some nice young horses coming along as well. “People are always telling me you’ll never have another one like ‘Limestone’ but this fella is coming there and he will make some chaser. Plans are up in the air at the moment and these days are hard to come by so we’ll enjoy it.” Winning trainer Harry Kelly added “you couldn’t have written the script and it’s brilliant for Michael and John (Bowe). I’m just so delighted to have a horse like him and we think he’ll be a really good chaser next year. “He won his maiden here when ridden the same way and wasn’t for passing that day either. Brian gave him a great ride today, he went a good honest gallop and his jumping was class. He was really good and aggressive on him.” “We’ll see how he is in the morning and make plans with him then. That level is perfect for him but you’d be hoping he might step up over fences and there is an old saying that a good-ish horse will go on any ground and he probably fits that bill. He has that touch of class so ground doesn’t really matter at times. “Thanks to the two lads, they are supporting me really well. I’m delighted to win it.” Quotes from Gary Carson
