LIMERICK TWO-DAY MEETING REPORT:RUBY WALSH brought Candy Girl through with perfect timing to land the feature event at Limerick yesterday, the Grade Three Bank Of Ireland EBF Mares Novice Chase.
The Willie Mullins-trained 11 to 4 chance was not foot-perfect in the two-mile-six-furlong contest, but she travelled up well to join the leaders on the turn for home, where it looked a three-horse contest with Its A Ladys Deal and Callherwhatulike.
The trio jumped the final fence in line, with Candy Girl in the middle, and she got away from it best before being driven out to beat Callherwhatulike by a length and a half.
Jessica Harrington looks to have a decent sort in Give It Time, who won the Listed Dawn Omega Milk EBF Mares Novice Hurdle with some authority.
Sent into the lead approaching the second-last by Andrew Leigh, the five-year-old (6 to 4) soon had her rivals in trouble and ran on strongly down the straight to hold Forgivememaria by two and a half lengths.
Harrington now has a two-and-a-half-mile race at Fairyhouse in mind. The same trainer-jockey combination took the opening Limerick GAA Supporters Maiden Hurdle with 12 to 1 chance Hume River.
Jack The Bus (10 to 1) stayed on well to take the two-mile-seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle on heavy ground at Navan.
Peter Casey's eight-year-old was on the heels of Oscar Time jumping the last two and asserted on the run-in to score by two lengths.
The Dessie Hughes-trained Old Si defied the testing conditions to land the two-mile Drogheda Novice Hurdle, making it two wins from three over timber.
The 7 to 2 shot was never far off the pace under Ian McCarthy and took it up approaching the second-last before plugging on gamely to hold Right Or Wrong by two lengths.
Hughes believes Fairyhouse might come too soon for the winner, who will probably go to the Punchestown Festival.
Let Yourself Go was the star turn in a double for trainer Adrian Maguire the St Patrick's Day Maiden Hurdle on Saturday.
The 9 to 10 favourite made all the running in the 2m 3f contest and the result was never really in any doubt as he drew clear from two furlongs.
Maguire's brace was initiated by For Real, who got off the mark over obstacles with a similarly impressive all-the-way win in the 'Ireland By 10 Points' Maiden Hurdle in the hands of Shane Jackson.
Sent off the 6 to 4 favourite after being placed on two of her first three starts over obstacles, the four-year-old had most of her rivals in trouble turning for home and after a fine leap at the final flight, she stuck on well to beat Papa Bear by three and a half lengths.
Native Vic took victory in a dramatic finish to the Vintners Raceday April 15th Handicap Hurdle. Accorry More looked the likely winner after cruising up on the bridle to take up the running two flights from home.
However, once asked the question by Andrew McNamara, he failed to quicken away in the testing ground and Native Vic (8-1) finished strongly to take the spoils by a neck.
It was a similar tale in the Greenmount Racing Club Mares Maiden Hurdle, with Sorrentina looking every inch a winner when hitting the front early in the straight.
However, her stamina began to give way on the run-in and it was 5 to 1 joint favourite Brotenstown who finished best to score by a length and a quarter.
