Harchibald gets lucky

Harchibald took advantage of a fall at the final flight to make a winning return to action in the John James McManus Memorial Hurdle at Tipperary yesterday.

Paul Carberry's mount, runner-up in the Champion Hurdle, looked held by the long-time leader, who was two lengths up going to the last, but Solerina overjumped and gave David Casey no chance of staying in the saddle.

That left Harchibald, trained by Noel Meade, to come home unchallenged from Ansar. Both Solerina and Casey appeared none the worse for the tumble.

Meade conceded his charge had been a fortunate winner. He said: "You need a bit of luck some days. I thought he would need the race and although it is a fabulous prize, it is a pity it is not a fortnight later, it comes a bit early in season.

"The horse is 14 kilos heavier than his best racing weight. He was a little bit fitter last year for this race, but this year we are trying to mind him for later in the season. He will go where the ground is good. I don't want to run him on heavy ground."

Possible targets for the six-year-old include the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown and the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.

Solerina's owner John Bowe said: "You only realise how precious she is when something like this happens. David gave her a lovely ride, she just went long coming down to the last, landed on her off-fore and tripped over.

"She would have won. She's tough and game as ever. There's not a scratch on her, but we'll see how she is in the morning.

"She may go for the Irish Cesarewitch depending on how she is, otherwise we might wait for the November Handicap or the Lismullen Hurdle."

Meanwhile, it might be a long way from Longchamp but this afternoon's first division of the mile-and-a-quarter maiden at Roscommon will see the impeccably bred Wicklow try to make a first pay out on a one million guinea gamble, Brian O'Connor writes.

That was the sales topping price that the John Magnier team paid out for the son of the Irish Oaks-placed Kitza at the Newmarket October sale two years ago. Clearly Wicklow has failed to justify that level of expenditure but the fact that he is still at Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle yard could be significant. Maybe not enough though to see him winning against Bogside Dancer who ran a nice race at Listowel last time.

Kahuna came a cropper at this course during his first season jumping fences and although he was expensive to follow overall Kahuna does bring a 133 rating to the novice chase.

Listowel's Lartigue Hurdle winner Don't Be Bitin reverts to the level for the apprentice handicap and Davy Condon's mount should go close while soft ground will not be a problem for Heart Of Svetlana in the opener.

Noel Meade introduces an interesting horse in the bumper as the Bandon point to point winner Chapeaux Bas takes on the The Deadly, runner-up to Meade's Ballyagran at Gowran in April.