Gilgamboa and Nina Carberry© Photo Healy Racing
After getting beat in a couple of point-to-points in the latter part of last year, former Grade 1 winner Gilgamboa is really running himself back into form as he showed when triumphant in the Arctic Tack Stud Hunters Chase at Thurles today.
We were treated to a great conclusion to this near three miler as old favourites Gilgamboa, Foxrock and My Murphy fought it out from before the straight.
It boiled down to a match between the J P McManus-owned and Enda Bolger-trained winner, and Foxrock, from before the last.
The former Boylesports.com Handicap Hurdle and Ryanair Gold Cup hero soon showed the benefit of race fitness though, galloping away for a ten length win.
Foxrock then held My Murphy by a neck for second place.
Fourth in the 2016 Grand National and a winner at Down Royal on St Stephen’s Day, Bolger said on the Nina Carberry-ridden victor: "It has been a credit to everyone to keep the show on the road today and that's his ground as he suffers with his knees.
"He's not qualified for Cheltenham and could run in the Tetratema next and then the Joseph O'Reilly Chase so we'll keep him on the home-front this season.
"Things were a bit messy early on in the race today but it was grand to win another one with him and it's great to have Nina back riding over fences too.
"Ground might be an issue with him going back to Aintree as that's his ground and we'd like to have him around for another couple of years."
(TW & EM)
