Ruby Walsh has wasted little time notching up the winners this season and he teamed up again with Tramore scorer Little-K to make most of the running to justify favouritism and initiate a double in the Munster Handicap Chase at Clonmel yesterday. "I didn't think he could get beat today," remarked winning trainer Paul Lenihan, who has a string of 10 horses at his Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford base. "He will go to Listowel for a chase over two miles and six but if the ground goes soft he won't run."
The former dual amateur champion completed his double aboard David Hanley's Master Cooper, his 18th winner of the season, in the Slievenamon Maiden Hurdle. A three-time winner of the flat this term, the Kahyasi gelding was sent off at prohibitive odds of 1 to 3, but despite a far from fluent round of jumping, he came home seven lengths clear of On The Run, who led until after the penultimate flight.