Liss A Paoraigh got the better of a hard-fought scrap with Limestone Lad to take the Philips Electronics Lismullen Hurdle in front of a large crowd at Navan this afternoon. Limestone Lad was the marginal odds-on favourite and Paul Carberry adopted the usual forcing tactics on board though never quite getting clear. Charlie Swan rode a patient race aboard Liss A Paoraigh and she headed Limestone Lad approaching the last. Lad fought back in his typical manner but Swan's mount gamely held him by a length and a half.
"I didn't think she'd win to be honest, so you'd have to be pleased with that," said delighted trainer John Kiely of his charge whose long-term target is the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham next year. However, Kiely admitted that she could face a rematch with Limestone Lad at the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
The Fortria Chase provided another thrilling finish with Micko's Dream battling bravely to hold the late surge of last year's winner Native Upmanship by a length and give his lucky owners another big pay-day. "The Champion Chase at Cheltenham is the long-term objective but we don't know yet whether he's good enough," said trainer Willie Mullins about the well-supported 11/10 favourite. "He'll run next in either the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown or the Morris Oil Chase at Clonmel."
Golden Row extended his tremendous sequence of wins with a bloodless victory in the opening three-runner For Auction Novice Hurdle. Today's victory marks a seventh novice success for the strapping seven-year-old. Trainer Charles Burn indicated that the Royal Bond Hurdle at Fairyhouse is next on the agenda.
At precisely the same time as Sackville was winning the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, his stable companion Golden Storm made an impressive fencing debut in the beginners chase, trotting up by nine lengths from Endless Night to the delight of trainer Frances Crowley.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
