John Mulvihill rides 1st winner

We had a second winner at Limerick to have competed at Navan just five days previous when Hareth landed the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

Whilst race one victor Turfmans Daughter was a well-beaten sixth at Proudstown Park last Saturday, Hareth fared a lot better at the County Meath venue when coming home in third place.

Equipped with a visor here Charles Byrnes' runner went off the 3/1 favourite and in the hands of John Mulvihill he got the better of Soir De Chantenay by two and a quarter lengths.

"He was due his turn and we just rode him a bit wider today - he seemed to lug in behind horses at Navan the last day and that's why we went wide today," said Byrnes.

"I'm delighted to give Johnny (20, from Listowel, Co Kerry) his first winner - he has been with me full time since Christmas and was with Michael Hourigan previously. He kept things very simple today and is a nice little rider - hopefully he can go on from there." Orchard Road was headed before the second last hurdle here and he soon slipped up.

His rider Cian Collins was later reported by Turf Club Doctor Richard Downey as "Cian is much better now than he was leaving the track and has been taken for x-rays to Limerick University Hospital."

(TW & EM)