Cheltenham on the agenda for Lucky Pat Lucky Pat followed up on his bumper success at Galway last Saturday as he took the opener at Kilbeggan this evening, the Like Kilbeggan Races On Facebook Maiden Hurdle. Trained locally by Dot Love the six-year-old son of Spadoun was sent off the clear 8/15 favourite on his second start over flights. Settled in second under Andrew McNamara he hit the front after the fourth last flight and eased clear before the next. He was pushed along to maintain his advantage before two out and he kept on well from there to score easily by nine lengths. The 4/1 second favourite was Silver Shuffle and he finished a clear second under Jonathan Burke for Jimmy Coogan while Uachtaran was a further twenty-six lengths back in third at 8/1 (14’s this morning and from 10’s on-course) under Adrian Heskin for Homer Scott. Dot Love said afterwards: “He's a star. He's really good and puts it all in. He jumps great and his future lies over fences." Love's assistant Ciaran Murphy added: "We felt he was so well at home and he looked the best horse in the race so we took a chance. "We'll give him time to mature as he's a big raw horse and he won't be over-raced. Last year we knew he was something different and we think a lot of him. "He could go to Listowel for the 1m6f qualified riders race there as we think he has enough toe to win over 1m6f. "The main aim at the start of the year was to go to Cheltenham in November to test the waters there before March. Hopefully he's good enough for that." Additional reporting by Gary Carson
