Walsh has a winning Filon in Limerick
LIMERICK hosted the longawaited resumption of National Hunt racing with Filon D’Oudairies having the distinction of being the first winner with a very smart exhibition of jumping in the first division Well Done To All Frontline Staff from Limerick Racecourse Maiden Hurdle.
Sporting the silks of local owner JP McManus, Mark Walsh settled the five-year-old in front from the drop of the flag and was almost foot perfect throughout.
Jonathan Moore moved menacingly alongside approaching the penultimate flight on the 5/6 favourite Bentham but Walsh had kept a little more in the locker and Filon D’Oudairies pulled clear on the flat.
Backers survived a slight fright when the Della Francesca gelding opted against putting in a short one at the last but he had more than enough scope to reach the other side and landed running, the two-length margin more flattering to the runner-up than the winner.
‘He was very slick over his hurdles. He can be a bit keen so Mark has let him bowl along and he said he settled and had a look at what he was doing,’ said trainer Joseph O’Brien’s representative, Brendan Powell. ‘It’s a good start after the break, our first jump runner. The horse keeps himself well and it doesn’t take much to get him fit.
‘Joseph does enough with them to get them right. He’s a very tall horse but there’s not a lot off him so it probably doesn’t take much to get him fit but it’s a good indication of where they’re at. Hopefully the others are the same.’
Rebel Gold (20/1) was a welcome winner for Tom Foley in the second division, Paddy Kennedy scoring for the first time for the popular Aughnabeg handler.