Winters making hay with Voler La Vedette's son

Voler La Vedette's son Dark Spark registered a fourth career success today and a third at Kilbeggan, when landing that racecourse's Paul & Carmel Fay Memorial Handicap Hurdle for trainer Michael Winters and jockey Richie Condon.

Dark Spark previously won his bumper and maiden hurdle at the track and eight days ago made his seasonal reappearance when landing a Listowel flat race under owner Nelius O'Keeffe's niece, jockey Abbie Fitzgibbon.

Today the six year old was made work for a two and a half lengths win over Two Shoe Tom and afterwards Winters said “we were delighted with the result when he looked fairly spectacular in Listowel and we were thinking we might have to go beginners chasing.

“He didn't jump that well today but maybe the ground would want to be a little bit better for him.

“We'll play it by ear with him but we might now even look at the likes of the Grimes Hurdle (Tipperary). It might be aiming a bit high but if there were five or six runners you'd throw him in at this stage.”

Dark Spark's Grade 1 winning dam Voler La Vedette finished runner-up to Big Buck's as he completed an historic four-timer of Stayers Hurdle wins in 2012.

Quotes from Gary Carson