Limestone Lad made to work

RACING: Limestone Lad recorded his 32nd career success in the Grade Two Morgiana Hurdle at Navan yesterday.

The 10-year-old may have been a shade lucky though, as Ballyhampshire Boy came down when challenging strongly at the last.

Champion jockey Paul Carberry certainly earned his fee on the favourite who was unable to establish his customary clear lead when reverting to the two-mile trip in the event transferred from Punchestown.

"I was worried two out when Ballyhampshire Boy seemed to be going so well, but at the last I felt we had him beaten when he came down," commented Carberry.

Backed from 4 to 5 to 8 to 11, Limestone Lad delighted owner-trainer James Bowe's son Michael, who rides the horse out at home.

"It was a great run for a horse of his age going back to two miles. He goes now for the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in a fortnight," Bowe said.

Ballyhampshire Boy has been dogged by bad luck this year, and indeed has been on the deck four times now and looked to be less than 100 per cent sound afterwards.

Norman Williamson, who partnered the final hurdle-faller, had better luck though half an hour later as Pizarro extended his unbeaten record on his jumping debut in the Tote Exacta Monksfield Novice Hurdle.

Limestone Lad's stable companion Solerina made a gallant attempt to follow-up for the Bowe family, but David Casey's mount had no answer from the last hurdle as Williamson produced Pizarro with a smooth challenge.

Drifting out from 2 to 1 to double those odds as Montayral was plunged on from 9 to 4 to 5 to 4, Pizarro belied that lack of market confidence with a smooth performance in the hands of Williamson.

"This horse doesn't show a lot at home, but we hope he will get to Cheltenham in March and I would expect him to have just three runs before the festival," said winning trainer Edward O'Grady.

Pizarro completed his hat-trick in the Festival Bumper last March, and on today's evidence looks one of the leading Irish contenders already for Cheltenham honours.

A return to Navan next month or a crack at the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in a fortnight is the choice for O'Grady's latest star performer.

David Casey started the day well as 9 to 1 chance Newlands Gold proved too quick for the favourite Mirpour in the Newgrange Hotel Maiden Hurdle for the Michael O'Brien stable.

The lone English raider Behrajan disappointed badly on his seasonal return when finishing last of the six contenders for the Troytown Handicap Chase.

Prominent early on as Lord Of The Turf attempted to make all the running in the hands of Barry Geraghty, Behrajan began to lose touch on the final circuit with a mistake five-out proving particularly costly for Mark Bradburne's mount as Takagi came through strongly in the closing stages to land the spoils at 4 to 1.

Takagi was completing a double for Williamson and O'Grady and could make a quick return in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday week.