Limerick Report:Trainer Dusty Sheehy and connections were rewarded with a first prize of €35,805 when Merry Cowboy (16 to 1) was gifted the feature Guinness Greenmount Park Novice Chase by the fall of Freds Benefit two from home at Limerick yesterday.

The Willie Mullins-trained runner had jumped for fun at the head of affairs but was beginning to tire when jockey Barry Geraghty took a crashing fall.

That left Sheehy's six-year-old in front under Shane Flanagan and he came home four lengths clear of Finger Onthe Pulse, with Albanov third.

Sheehy said: "I put him in the race as he is a good jumper, even though I thought he was well out of his depth.

"We had a bit of luck on our side (two out), but it is a nice pot to get.

"We'll see what the handicapper does now, but he is probably not really good enough to take on the top novices."

Lounaos defied the lack of a recent run to win the Tom Hogan Lexus Hurdle for trainer Eoin Griffin.

The four-year-old filly, who was sent off as favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last March, was given a confident ride by Geraghty.

He tracked Quintana into the straight before asking his mount to quicken up over the second-last.

She pulled clear but to the runner-up's credit Quintana battled back and was only one and a half lengths behind the 9 to 10 favourite at the line.

"The ground was heavier than I would have liked," said a delighted Griffin.

"She'll come on a lot for that run, Barry said she travelled and jumped well but got very tired after the last and she had a good blow afterwards.

"She was just worn out at the end of last season, but she had a good break and has come back nice and fresh.

"She'll be entered for the AIG now and her long-term target could be the new two-and-a-half-mile mares' race at the Cheltenham Festival," added Co Kilkenny-based Griffin.