Bob best in Listowel opener

A major market-move on Lord Justice (4th, after shortening into 5/2 favourite from 10/1) wasn't justified in the opening Kerry Group 3-y-o Hurdle at Listowel as Bobabout gained the day under Mark Bolger for Jessica Harrington.

Not surprisingly for an event of this nature, there was plenty of incident, with one of the fancied ones, Auld Brig coming down early.

Though not always convincing with his jumping, Bobabout got the best of things by three and a half lengths from Dodgybingo

"He did it well and travelled and jumped well. He was going to run a nice race when he unseated the last day and handled the soft ground today, which I didn't think he'd do," reported Bolger.

"He'll have a future and would prefer nicer ground as well."

M.A. Enright, rider of Coherent trained by P.J. Rothwell, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount ran very free in the early stages and was pulled up thereafter.

B.T. O'Connell, rider of Moorland trained by Barry John Murphy, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount did not jump fluently through.

(TW & EM)