Ronnie O'Leary was full of praise for Charlie Swan after he had forged Aldino past front-running Well Ridden in the closing stages of the Horse & Jockey Novice Hurdle at Thurles yesterday. "We'll give Liverpool a shot now because the track will suit," said the Clare trainer.
Course specialist Coco Opera defied top-weight in gallant fashion when powering home under regular pilot Gerry Kilfeather in the Devils Bit Handicap Hurdle.
"I went to the soccer match in Lansdowne Road last night and told a Czech lad to back her today. He had broken English but I hope he understood," said the winning jockey.
Kieran Gaule, who was forced to stand himself down for the rest of the day after Nuit Saint tragically came to grief at the fifth last flight, missed a winner when Navan rider Paddy Stringer deputised on Gillys Hope.
Tom Hogan's Irregular Planting, stable-companion of the ill-fated Nuit Saint, looked all over a winner when coming down to the penultimate fence in the novice chase. However, the complexion of the race changed here when he crashed out leaving the tiring Streamstown in front. But there was more drama to come as he then blundered at the last leaving the Paddy Mullins-trained market leader Storm Ten to come home an eight-length winner.
