Falcon has Meade flying with Lismullen win

The Noel Meade trained Snow Falcon landed his second Grade 2 success at Navan today, in the Lismullen Hurdle, scoring a seventh career success, under jockey Sean Flanagan.

Previously successful in the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle at the venue last February, the son of Presenting was today in pursuit of leader De Plotting Shed after the second last flight when Flanagan needed to switch Snow Falcon right to challenge the leader. On the run-in, Snow Falcon finished well to edge ahead in the closing stages for a three and a quarter lengths win.

Cheltenham festival regular and 11/10 favourite Shaneshill failed to go with the leaders early in the home straight but did run on to good affect in the closing stages to take a never dangerous third.

Meade was notching up his 31st winner of the season which already betters last season’s tally, the lowest achieved by the former Champion Trainer since the 1980s, and today he said “it’s about the jumping - he jumped today which is the first time he did.

“I think he’ll be better over three miles so we have the race at Christmas (at Leopardstown) to look at and I might have a look and see what is in England as well and it also depends what turns up in the Hattons Grace whether he’ll run or not in that.

“He’s had a lot of trouble with his back and has all sorts of stuff done to it. Last year he had a little op on it and this year it’s been perfect. He also had a stress crack last year after he won here and that’s why he didn’t run for the rest of the season but he’s still a young horse.”

He added “the girl that looks after him Emma (Connelly) certainly deserves a mention - he’s like a little dog with her. She pulls him out in the morning and he trots up the yard alongside her. She says ‘come on snowy’ and he stops, stands, whatever she wants. It’s unbelievable, I’ve never seen anything like it!”

The race was also set to feature Jer’s GIrl but last season’s Grade 1 winning novice hurdler was a late withdrawal on veterinary advice.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson