Donnacha doubles up on Puppetshow

Donnacha O’Brien completed a double at Limerick as Puppetshow benefitted from a confident ride to open her account in the Croom Maiden.

The Galileo filly had gone close on a number of occasions including when beaten less than a length here earlier this season, and gained a valuable winning bracket on her sixth start.

The 9/4 chance was held up towards rear in this mile event and switched out under two furlongs.

She picked up really well on the outer, and only needed to be pushed out with hands and heels to beat the well-backed 15/8 favourite Breeze by a length and a quarter. Haroon was a further three lengths away in third.

O’Brien was partnering this winner for his father Aidan, and earlier was on the mark aboard 5/4 favourite Band Of Outlaws trained by his brother Joseph, in the two-year-old auction maiden.

Donnacha O'Brien said, "She is a filly with plenty of ability and is much better than them but the thing was to get her to relax and do things right.

"It worked out nicely; she was the best filly in the race, and when you are going that well you'll find the gaps. I'd imagine finding black-type will be the plan with her."

(TW & AM)