Connell, Hayes and the Shark at the double Star Neuville and Brian Hayes made every post a winning one as they dominated the two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle at Leopardstown when winning by two lengths from odds on Vesper Bell. The Willie Mullins-trained Vesper Bell had been backed at 7/4 in the morning and went off 4/5 while Star Neuville’s SP was 5/2. Hayes captured his second winner of the day on board Star Neuville after Glam Gerry’s win in the first. These two horses also gave owner Barry Connell a double. Vesper Bell and Carrig Millie (who finished third) set after the winner but were never able to reel him in. Shark Hanlon, the successful trainer who was saddling a double at Leopardstown after Hidden Cyclone’s earlier victory, said: “I have to give Brian full praise. He gave him a savage ride. “We knew nothing would make it so he set his own pace and jumped brilliantly in front. We’ll try and find a winners of one for him in three weeks time. He might be a Cheltenham horse later on. “He slipped in his first run at Naas. He had a hard race at Cheltenham and sometimes they don’t come back from that. He’s much better going left handed.” Michael Graham
