Donoghue doubles up with Santa Rossa

Keith Donoghue sealed a quick-fire double in Limerick when Santa Rossa scooted right away from her rivals in the mares' hurdle over two miles.

The eight-year-old daughter of Jeremy was on good terms with herself as he tanked into contention behind Gjoumi approaching two out.

She jumped to the front with a nimble leap and was merely pushed by Donoghue to assert and move clear by the last.

Another swift jump saw her stretch right away by six and a half lengths to reward favourite backers at 85/40. Gjoumi had no answers in second at 10/3.

Trainer Dermot McLoughlin said: "She is a good mare and will improve a hell of a lot for that. He said it was hard to pull her up and she took a good blow after the second last.

"It was an ideal race to start her off in today and we might go for a Grade 2 hurdle at Fairyhouse next. I think she will be even better going left-handed.

"She got kicked out in the paddock, before Liverpool last year, by one of our own and cracked a bone in her joint. Hence she missed that time and she'll improve a hell of a lot for that and I couldn't ask for a better return. She sprinted at the back of the last.

"The owner likes to breed so he mightn't chance going chasing but it depends, as she does jump well."

The winner has been very lightly raced as she has been off since landing a mares' maiden hurdle by 10 lengths in March last year off another long absence.

Donoghue also won the preceding race on Midnight It Is for Gavin Cromwell.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes