Hustler toughest in the west again

Eddie O'Connell is certainly a rider that racegoers in the West have become very familiar with this summer after a double at Sligo and a treble at Ballinrobe and the young Kildare five pound claimer struck again at Cleveragh aboard top-weight City Hustler in the Leo McMorrow Memorial Handicap Hurdle.

This American-bred son of Century City took over from the pace-setter, Regal Obligation entering the straight and despite a slight mistake at the last he kept going well enough to hold off the gambled-on favourite, Malande (9/2 into 3/1) by half a length.

Karl Thornton represented his Skerries, County Dublin-based father, trainer, Sean in the winner's enclosure and he said: "This is our third winner on the track, all courtesy of this fellow. We've had about fifteen in points. We'll go to Downpatrick now on Sunday with City Hustler."