Lounaos Back In Business

Lounaos defied the lack of a recent run to win the Tom Hogan Lexus Hurdle at Limerick for trainer Eoin Griffin.

The four-year-old filly, who was sent off as favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, was given a confident ride by Barry Geraghty.

He tracked Quintana into the straight before asking his mount to quicken up over the second-last.

She pulled clear but to the runner-up's credit Quintana battled back and was only one and a half lengths behind the 9-10 favourite at the line.

'The ground was heavier than I would have liked,' said Griffin.

'She'll come on a lot for that run, Barry said she travelled and jumped well but got very tired after the last and she had a good blow afterwards.

'She was just worn out at the end of last season, but she had a good break and has come back nice and fresh.

'She'll be entered for the AIG now and her long-term target could be the new two-and-a-half-mile mares' race at the Cheltenham Festival.'

Merry Cowboy (16-1) was gifted the Guinness Greenmount Park Novice Chase by the fall of Freds Benefit two from home.

The Willie Mullins-trained runner had jumped for fun at the head of affairs but was beginning to tire when Geraghty took a crashing fall.

The left Dusty Sheehy's six-year-old in front under Shane Flanagan and he came home four lengths clear of Finger Onthe Pulse, with Albanov third.

Sheehy said: 'I put him in the race as he is a good jumper, even though I thought he was well out of his depth.

'We had a bit of luck on our side (two out), but it is a nice pot to get. We'll see what the handicapper does now, but he is probably not really good enough to take on the top novices.'

? PA Sport