Kennedy gets off the mark for Gigginstown Roman Gold provided Jack Kennedy with a landmark success as the promising claimer recorded his first win in the famous Gigginstown colours when taking the I N H Stallion Owners EBF Rated Novice Hurdle at Thurles. Bryan Cooper elected to partner Just Cause in this 2m6f event, and the Mouse Morris-trained gelding struck the front at the penultimate flight. However the 2/1 favourite was soon challenged by Roman Gold, who took over in the lead just before the final flight. The 7/2 chance, an easy maiden hurdle winner at Clonmel last month, soon asserted on the run-in and kept on to great effect to score by six lengths. Ben Button was another length and a half adrift in third. Winning trainer Gordon Elliott said, "He was getting the allowances and had Jack's five pounds claim. I was a bit worried about him staying the trip but Jack gave him a nice ride and got him settled. "He'll more than likely go straight over fences now." Elliott also had news of Mala Beach, who took a heavy fall around halfway in the Listed race won by Sir Des Champs, saying "He is grand and was giving Davy a great spin until his fall. He (Russell) was happy how he was going and travelling but it was a lack of communication (at the fence). Davy was going to let him pop it but the horse stepped into it." (TW & AM)
