O'Keeffe pays Winters back on Shellrunforbriggs Shellrunforbriggs galloped right the line for a comprehensive victory in the D'Icon Novice Handicap Hurdle over an extended two-miles at Limerick. She was in charge entering the straight but Mark Walsh soon got after the pursuing Sense Of Occasion as they tried to close on her. Sense Of Occasion appeared to be coming with a run between the final two flight, however, there was no reeling in Shellrunforbriggs who powered away from the last to take the honours by five and a-half lengths at 3/1 for title-chasing Darragh O'Keeffe. The runner-up, Sense Of Occasion, went off 5/2 joint favourite on handicap debut for Henry de Bromhead. Shellrunforbriggs was Listed placed in a mares' novices' chase at Thurles on her latest start in February, albeit 16 lengths off the winner Karia Des Blaises. This was her second success over the smaller obstacles to go with a maiden hurdle victory at Naas last December. Mick Winters said: Adrian Maguire (brother-in-law) popped that mare over a jump the other day and told us to change tactics and go from the front. If our main jockeys Darragh or Eoin Walsh weren't available, I wanted to give Finny Maguire a winner as we're 'shoving on', so I'd like give my nephew a winner. "There are a lot of other people to thank and the syndicate, from Abbeyfeale, are with us a long time. Rachael (Blackmore) outrode Darragh O'Keeffe below at Tramore (on the syndicate's Shes Flat Tothemat in August 2019) a while back, so we've been waiting a long time for Darragh to pay us back! "We might now go for a beginners' chase before the summer comes." Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
