Silk Hall springs another surprise

On his fifth start for trainer James Lambe, Silk Hall scored for the second time in Ireland, in the Ballybane Hurdle at the odds of 14/1 with Eddie O’Connell in the saddle.

The son of Halling had won two hurdles before today for Alan King back in 2009. He also won two on the level for David Arbuthnot and sprang a 33/1 surprise on his third start for Lambe at the Curragh back in June.

He was last seen finishing a well beaten seventeenth behind Fosters Cross in the Amateur Riders Handicap on the Monday of the Galway Festival.

The 6yo winner raced in sixth and last for much of the race before making his move approaching the second last. He moved into third before the straight and joined Now This Is It (backed from 4/1 into 2/1) at the last. He gained a narrow lead on the run-in and stayed on well from there to score by half a length at the line. Knockcroghery ran a cracker to finish just three and a half lengths back in third while the 7/4 favourite Oneeightofamile who drifted from Evens, finished a disappointing fourth.

Winning trainer James Lambe said afterwards: "My horses have been under a cloud. They haven't been running well since the Galway Festival. Hopefully they are turning a corner now.

"He was a Saturday horse when he was in England, running against the likes of Riverside Theatre and Somersby.

"On his day he is not a bad horse. Hopefully there is big pot in him and he should improve even more.

"His owner James Callow is from Cumbria and this is my tenth winner for him this season."

Donal Murphy