Luimneach gets his day in the sun

After getting in as third reserve, Luimneach Abu took full advantage of his chance, as he won the Nick O'Donnell Memorial Handicap Hurdle under Mark Walsh for Shane Broderick. The five-year-old son of High Chaparral was making his eleventh career start this evening, with his best performance before today coming at Cork last August when he finished just half a length second to Mountain Lough. He wasn’t disgraced on his last few starts and he was sent off at 5/1 for this two mile contest, in the colours of owner JP McManus. He raced prominently throughout and he hit the front before the last, staying on well from there to score by two and a half lengths from Ice Ice Baby in second under Andrew Lynch for John McConnell at 14/1. Pennys Tune was sent off the 3/1 favourite and he just snatched third close home from the front running Chinook Run Mark Walsh said afterwards: "Nothing had been going right for him all year. I decided to ride him handier today and it worked out well. It wasn’t a great race but hopefully he will pick up another one."