Alive back on top for McNamara

Still Alive bounced back to form when running out a cosy winner of the Killinan Handicap Hurdle at Thurles.

Andrew McNamara 's charge had won at Limerick over Christmas but was well held at Clonmel a couple of weeks later.

The five-year-old went to post a 10/1 shot today and travelled smoothly through to lead at the second last in the two-miler.

Darragh O'Keeffe asserted on his mount before the last and kept him up to his work in the closing stages to record a five-length win.

"Anything he did during the winter was a bonus because he loves that ground. Hussle Up was one of the ones to beat but with the claim he was actually better off from Limerick,” said McNamara.

"I had a great jockey on board and I think he is going to be a star. He had ten winners ridden before the weekend so I was watching him at Leopardstown and if he rode one more winner he'd be gone for today but I was delighted he didn't ride a winner at the weekend!

"He will go to Mallow for an amateur jockeys' handicap hurdle in a fortnight's time and will be campaigned for the summer and he will also go back on the flat."

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)