Ryan ticks off Limerick courtesy of Cooltubrid Eva Cooltubrid Eva came from well off the pace to serve up a 33/1 shock in Division 1 of the Professor Maria Hinfelaar Handicap Hurdle in Limerick. She really got a head of steam up in third as she attempted to hunt down Let Him B and Loi Des Jeux between the final two flights. A lovely, slick jump over the last saw her claim those two rivals as she landed full of running and bounded in by four and three-quarter lengths in the colours of Mrs Mary M Ryan. Let Him B, the 3/1 favourite, was booked for second, some seven lengths ahead of Loi Des Jeux at 7/2. This was the winner's 13th career start with a best previous finish of second on debut in a maiden hurdle at this venue in December 2023. Diarmuid Ryan said: "I've always wanted to win in Limerick, so I've done it now. I'm from Clare and my uncles used to run horses in the old Greenpark course, so I've always wanted a winner here. "My uncle Gerry Burke, who trained horses in Newmarket-On-Fergus and worked for Tom Costello, initially had the 'horse bug' and I led up his horses in point-to-points and at the old Limerick course. "This is my third winner and I'm based in Kilmacthomas in County Waterford. I have two horses who are owned by my wife and I ride them as well. I rode this mare the other day when she nearly ran away with me, so it wasn't a surprise she won. "Like myself, she has had medical issues but has come good and we thought she'd be there or thereabouts. We thought the ground would suit and she has recently come back to the form she showed on her first run here (Christmas 2023). "I am retired from the corporate world, where I worked as a HR Director for Waterford Crystal and for Pepsico when I was based overseas." Although the winner was a 33/1 chance, she was backed in the ring at 50s and 40/1. Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
