Champion Chaser's sibling wins Limerick bumper

Dodging Bullets' half-sister Tucanae gained an important win in the concluding Woodlands House (Mares) Bumper at Limerick today, as the Paul Nolan trained mare justified good support to win for Champion Point to Point Jockey Barry O'Neill.

Tucanae is a half-sister to 2015 Champion Chase winner Dodging Bullets, who is himself by top flat stallion Dubawi and was bred by one Frankie Dettori.

Dettori sold Dodging Bullets for just 8,000gns as a yearling and his involvement with the pedigree ended in December 2010 when he sold Dodging Bullets' dam Nova Cyngi for just 11,000gns - five years before Dodging Bullets' Cheltenham heroics.

Sibling Tucanae, a daughter of Yeats, was a point-to-point winner on debut for handler Richard Black last April and having then been bought for GBP80,000 by Modebest Equine Limited, today gained the important racecourse win, to enhance her notable pedigree.

“she is a lovely mare and mentally she was a little immature and gave her a run over hurdles. If she won, she won and if she didn't win she could go back for a bumper and that's the way it worked out.

“She is very tough, has a brilliant attitude and is a very nice one going forward. We'll have to consider keeping her novice status over hurdles now as she handles winter ground so we'll be careful with what we do next.

“Her owners have been very patient with her and they have believed in us and have been brilliant to train for and I'm delighted they have a nice mare to look forward to.”