MacMahon excels on Island

Misty Island proved a popular local winner in the www.bluegrasshorsefeeds.com Britain V Ireland Ladies Challenge Handicap Hurdle, justifying support from 11/2 into 9/2 in the hands of Clare MacMahon for Andrew McNamara.

On a good weekend for the McNamaras after Andrew junior's big success in Down Royal (a double there and one at Navan today too) on The Listener yesterday, Andrew senior was full of praise for the four-time champion lady point-to-point rider, saying: "I don't know about any of the other riders but mine couldn't have been any better, Clare gave the mare a brilliant ride."

MacMahon led on the daughter of Turtle Island at the second last, having come there from off the pace travelling well, and the ex-Adrian Maguire inmate went on to account for fellow Limerick runner, Double Kudos by a length and three parts.

McNamara also commented: "She will go jumping fences at some stage now that she has won a hurdle. She'd never have got into a chase due to the balloting without this win under her belt."