Hometown finish as Valours comes out on top County Galway-trained horses dominated the finish of the O'Leary Insurances Handicap Hurdle with the 'maroon and white' runners filling the first, second, third, fifth and sixth positions. The winner wasn't the one most punters were expecting though as Val O'Brien's 16/1 shot Valours Minion (fourth in this event in 2013) prevailed under Mark Enright. Martin Cullinane's Roadtotheisland was the one for money (6s into 4/1 favourite) but try as he might on the run-in he couldn't reel in Valours Minion who prevailed by three lengths. Gort handler Hannah Lee's Megan's Vic filled the third spot, three parts of a length back. Mark Fahey's Sheadogue Molly stayed on to be fourth whilst another Gort-based trainer, Norman Lee supplied the fifth home, Supreme Vic (easy-to-back, 4s out to 6s). "The ground is the key to him. He will probably go for a two mile chase at Listowel next," reported O'Brien, who has care of Valours Minion for his brother Sean. (DM & EM)
