McConnell & Harvey continue their winning ways

Point-to-point winner Lisnamult Lad (10/1) scored on hurdling debut today, finishing fast to secure Sligo's Isle Of Innisfree Opportunity Maiden Hurdle for trainer John McConnell and jockey Ben Harvey. Park Annonciade (33/1) was clear jumping the final flight and matched at 1.07 in-running, but the winning Court Cave-gelding finished well to edge a three-parts of a length success.

McConnell and Harvey were teaming up for a fifth success in 18 days and the rider reported "Lisnamult Lad is an odd sort of horse. He relaxes really well at home and is a very good ride, but when he get to the races he seems to get really lit up.

"He hung quite badly the last day for no reason, he'd never done it before. I said today that I'd pop out and try not get in a fight with him and see what happened from there.

"We went a good gallop over the first couple of hurdles and then he came back to me and I got a nice breather into him. He hit the line really well and hopefully can build on this. He might appreciate going further but we're going to have to teach him to settle first, and maybe a bigger track might help him to do that."

Quotes from Mark Nunan