Boy has local owners Laughing

Ruby Walsh expressed fears beforehand about Laughing Boy s willingness for the job and he was sent off the uneasy market leader for the M.J. Carroll Arro Maiden Hurdle at Listowel. He looked a forlorn hope three out but as the pace-setters floundered the Montjeu gelding came home strongest to prevail.

Laughing Boy saw off the gambled-on Gallilei (available at 7s this morning and ended up an 11/4 shot) by two and a half lengths with the Firm Foundations who made the running, eventually fading back into third.

Willie Mullins, the winning trainer said: "He is by Montjeu and we picked him up fairly cheaply at Newmarket Sales. He looks a progressive type and he has now won on the flat and today for us. He won't be one for winter ground, he doesn't even like wet weather and when the ground softens up he could be a Dundalk horse.

"He has plenty of gears. That ground was a bit dead for him though and it's nice to win for the owners (the Nearly There Syndicate) who are from Listowel."

Ruby Walsh, completing a double after his earlier win on Hunting Tower commented: "He was a bit reluctant to jump off and even at different stages of the race I didn't know if he was enjoying it. He took off after three out when he put his mind to it and won pulling up in the end."

An interesting aside is that the winning owners, the Nearly There Syndicate also owned the notoriously quirky Havetoavit in the past.