Bannow Bay in control as Limestone Lad fades

The Fairyhouse punters got it spectacularly right yesterday when the gambled-on Bannow Bay got the better of Limestone Lad in the Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers' Hurdle.

A combination of an injury scare last week and more than two months without a race resulted in Limestone Lad drifting dramatically in the betting ring, and Bannow Bay was the logical option to latch on to.

Sure enough, Limestone Lad had to surrender his lead at the second last, but just as Bannow Bay looked home and hosed, the 14 to 1 outsider, Catch Ball, made the Charlie Swan-ridden favourite battle for victory.

Bannow Bay was still half a length too good and Swan reassured trainer Christy Roche by saying: "I got to the front a little soon, but when the second horse came at us, my horse quickened again."

Limestone Lad finished just six lengths further back in third and rider Shane McGovern reported: "He was just a bit ring rusty but gave me 110 per cent."

"He's a lovely horse with lots of stamina and after six wins on the soft I'd better change my story about him wanting good ground," said Roche of Bannow Bay.

In contrast to the stayers' race, the Swordlestown Cup developed into a bookies' benefit, with 10 to 1 shots filling the three places and the favourite, Well Ridden, suffering a heart attack and dying at half way in the race.

Alcapone, a horse apparently inferior to the ill-fated favourite on the formbook, emerged best for David Casey.

The Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle was won by Holy Orders, who led before the last and held Golden Storm's renewed challenge by half a length.

"I'd have been happy to have finished third or fourth and I was delighted to see money down to fifth. I didn't expect to win, but he has improved his technique and long term we'll look at the Galway Hurdle and the four-year-old race at Listowel," said Holy Orders' trainer Willie Mullins.

The Mullins team lost out by just a neck in the opener as Adamant Approach just failed to haul back Hot Stuff, but the race was much more costly for rider Tom Treacy, who was taken to Blanchardstown Hospital with a suspected broken arm after a heavy fall from Keltech Grey.

The Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National is next on the agenda for Kings Valley, who easily took the handicap chase under Paul Carberry.

Arthur Moore received some compensation for the loss of Well Ridden as Ivan De Vonnas overhauled Khan Kicker in the closing stages of the bumper.

Yesterday's attendance of 4,800 bet £206,057 with the Tote compared to a figure of £640,447 at the corresponding day at Punchestown last year. A total of £883,304 was bet with the bookies yesterday compared to £1.85 million at Punchestown last year.