Wonderoftheworld, Denis O'Regan (yellow) came to grief, bringing down Cook Islands.Robin Des Foret (Ruby Walsh) won© Photo Healy Racing
Thankfully horses and riders seemed relatively unscathed after two departed at the final hurdle to leave favourite Robin Des Foret with the win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle at Killarney.
From the front the Ruby Walsh-ridden Robin Des Foret gave his connections and backers a fright with a third last flight mistake.
However that was nothing compared to the apprehension they must have experienced when he was joined by the Denis O'Regan-partnered Wonderoftheword at the last. Wonderoftheworld took a heavy fall here, bringing down the chasing Cook Islands (Barry Geraghty, sore, has a dead arm and is stood down for the day), in a horrible incident, to leave Robin Des Foret clear for an eight length win over his stable companion Miss Sapphire
"Denis (O'Regan) had just headed me and I was about a head down. We were both very long and my horse just about got there and Denis' caught the top of it," reported Walsh.
"I couldn't tell you how well Denis was going but in fairness my horse kept going. He ran to a similar level he ran to at Galway and I imagine he may step into graded company now.
"In graded company he won't have the same penalties but I wonder will he be good enough - we'll find out then."
(TW & EM)
