Hard Bought wins a first outside of Tipp

A Lisronagh 'point' winner, Hard Bought has been victorious on the track at Clonmel and Thurles, and today the Perugino chestnut gained his first success outside of the Premier County when landing the Gowran Park Golf Club Captains 2015 Handicap Hurdle.

Brian O'Connell 's mount may have idled a bit in the closing stages, but he had enough done at that stage and held off favourite, The Mad Well and the strong-finishing winner of the race from last year, Sydney Thompson by a length and a quarter and a neck. Leaders Questions was still chasing the principals, under Phillip Enright, when taking a heavy final flight fall.

Winning trainer John Joe Walsh said: "He stays well and loved the ground. He won a point-to-point and will go back over fences next season." (AM & EM)