Bonny Kate is pushed out on the run-in by Sean Flanagan © Photo Healy Racing
< Bonny Kate enhanced her Irish National claims with a dominant performance in the 8-1 Willie Mullins To Train A Cheltenham Winner At Coral.ie EBF Mares Novice Chase at Limerick.
Just as he had done at Fairyhouse and Punchestown on Noel Meade's mare, Sean Flanagan bowled along at the head of affairs in this Grade Two and had his rivals on the stretch turning in.< Uranna tried to make a race of it, but she wasn't as good over the fences as Bonny Kate, who scored with slightly more in hand the official two-and-a-quarter-length margin suggested as the 1-2 favourite.
Ambrose McCurtin registered one of the biggest victories of his career on Barnahash Rose (6-1) in the Grade Three Kerry Group EBF Shannon Spray Mares Novice Hurdle.
The market principals Monbeg Rose and Myztique led the field until McCurtin, who won the 2014 Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase on Page Turner here, swept by on Barnahash Rose, and she stayed right the way to the line to beat Myztique by 11 lengths.
French import Slowmotion looked like making a successful start to her Irish career when leading in the Limerick Racecourse Vets Hurdle and jumping the last with a clear advantage.
However, Never Again who made a serious blunder at the penultimate obstacle, wouldn't give up and the John Joe Walsh-trained 12-1 shot nailed the favourite in the dying strides to score by half a length.
The Ryans Cleaning Maiden Hurdle cut up to just the three runners but it still provided a thrilling conclusion, with Walsh's Instant Smile (7-1) collaring long odds-on favourite Ben Button close home.
Everything seemed to be going to plan for the market leader when he headed Crocodile Dundee on the run to two out, but Instant Smile sprouted wings late to give McCurtin a double.
Walsh completed a treble on the card when 5-2 favourite Monasteradenpauric fought hard to deny Seskinane in the Irish Field Handicap Hurdle.< Thelobstercatcher (12-1) rolled back the years in the Lyons Of Limerick Handicap Chase, while Wildcatted took the Charleville Cheese Beginners Chase
