Humm Baby not unbacked in 50/1 surprise

Humm Baby sprung a 50/1 surprise in the concluding Dr. Louis O'Carroll INH Flat Race at Listowel.

Michael Hourigan trains the Mahler mare and his daughter Laura took the reins on the five-year-old.

With form figures of 990 Humm Baby looked to have an awful lot on her plate in winner's company off a 99 day break. All of her previous form came on deep ground, two of those efforts coming over flights.

Laura Hourigan was asking for more from before the straight but the response from her partner was generous and she powered on from Fabulous Saga (4/9 fav) inside the last for a six and a half length win.

"It's great to be back in the winners' circle in Listowel I can tell you!" said the winning trainer.

"They (her owners) got some money off her - they backed her at 180 to one in-running and had 100/1 all day. She is owned by Chris Tilly and the late Patsy Byrnes' wife Bridget, my own wife, and myself and a man in England, Terry Doran.

"You couldn't just fancy her and I couldn't tell anyone to back her but I said to the lads this morning to have a few bob each-way at 50/1 and hope she gets placed.

"She has been promising and has some pedigree - Willie Mullins won two bumpers with her mother (Sonne Cinq) and she has some page.

"She'll go out in a field now and come back here in September."

(TW & EM)