It's not often a horse leaving the winner's enclosure is applauded but Limestone Lad proved at Fairyhouse yesterday that he is the horse of a lifetime.
Paul Carberry has ridden a double Grand National winner but after coaxing and bullying Limestone Lad to a defeat of Liss A Paoraigh in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle, he summed Limestone Lad up as "the toughest horse I've ever ridden". It's some compliment from a jockey who has exhibited more than his own share of resilience, and it was also enough for Limestone Lad to be cut to as low as 7 to 2 second favourite for the Stayers' Hurdle in March.
But the real compliments were the expressions of surprised delight from the man who has been closest to Limestone Lad since the day he first emerged at James Bowe's Co Kilkenny farm.
Bowe's son Michael has orchestrated Limestone Lad's emergence from underdog to racing hero, but even the 1999 Hatton's Grace victory over Istabraq will struggle to compete with yesterday's memory.
"I told the locals who came to the races that I'd be happy with third or fourth today. Everyone else in the race was absolutely beaming with confidence and it put the wind up me," Bowe admitted.
"Then I saw that Tony McCoy was coming over to ride Liss A Paoraigh and it frightened the heart and soul out of me when I saw him ride a finish on TV on Saturday. I couldn't sleep last night!"
He needn't have worried. Limestone Lad may have been superseded in the market by Ned Kelly, and also forced Carberry to raise a real sweat, but while the others travelled stylishly to the straight, it was only then that he came into his element.
Ned Kelly faded quickly after bursting a blood vessel and Liss A Paoraigh hung left before the last, but Limestone Lad never faltered.
"He has gone lazy but after running in 51 races (27wins), he's entitled to think about it. He will run at Navan in two weeks, and also at Leopardstown over Christmas. He thrives on it and is such a marvellous horse," Bowe added.
Another 7 to 2 Cheltenham quote was floating around after Like-A-Butterfly stung the bookies into ante-post action after the Royal Bond Hurdle.
The JP McManus-owned mare sauntered home by four lengths and was immediately cut to clear favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
"We will need to know if she goes for the two mile or the two and a half mile first!" said McManus when shown the price.
The other Grade One race also fell to Paul Carberry, who got Harbour Pilot up in the Drinmore Chase ahead of the McManus-owned Risk Accessor.
