LIMERICK REPORT AND NEWS: PAUL NICHOLLS has made a good start to the season and he bagged another big prize as Dear Villez prevailed in the Ladbrokes.com Munster National at Limerick yesterday.
After a four-timer at Chepstow on Saturday, the British champion trainer picked up the feature event with the unexposed six-year-old.
A faller in the Jewson Novices' Chase at Cheltenham last March, Ruby Walsh's mount jumped impeccably and receiving nearly a stone from Mister Top Notch, the 7 to 4 favourite drew three lengths clear on the run-in.
Nicholls has stated his intention to have more runners in this country's biggest races this term and Dear Villez's success prompted William Hill to cut him to 11 to 4 from 3 to 1 for the Irish trainers' championship.
Dan Skelton, Nicholls' assistant, said: "Ruby rode the horse brilliantly, he was in the right place the whole way. It was a gutsy and decent performance.
"I've been on the phone to Paul and he said there were no immediate plans but he's absolutely delighted and he jumped brilliantly for a relative novice."
Nicholls was out of luck in the Grade Three PricewaterhouseCoopers Chase, with even-money favourite Marodima finishing only third behind Finger Onthe Pulse.
Winner of the Jewson last season, he was expected to find the two-mile-one-furlong trip on the short side but never put a foot wrong for Paddy Flood, standing in for the injured Barry Geraghty.
Winning trainer Tom Taaffe said: "You don't win any bad races at Cheltenham and he proved that today.
"He jumped very well and he has schooled well at home. He'll come on a good deal for this though and will go for the Killultagh Properties Chase at Down Royal (on November 1st) next.
Beau Michael, a three-time winner over hurdles last year, justified 2 to 1 favouritism for Walsh in the Michael Punch & Partners Hurdle.
Ado McGuinness' four-year-old saw his form tail off somewhat last season but after a recent run on the level, he had no trouble in seeing off Silverhand by an impressive eight lengths.
"This was the only four-year-old hurdle race between now and Christmas for him," said McGuinness. "The ground is the key to him, he loves it soft and he jumps really well. He might go back on the flat for a handicap on his next run. He may be even better over further - he'll definitely stay two and a half miles."
Walsh also scored a comfortable victory on 12 to 1 chance Reens Pike in the Pat Keogh BMW Handicap Hurdle, another intended ride for Geraghty, making it a 106 to 1 treble.
Paul Nolan's Alpha Ridge followed up a win a Listowel last month by making all to land the Newenham Mulligan Novice Hurdle. The 8 to 1 chance pulled clear up the straight to beat Conclave by six lengths.
"He will stay hurdling for the moment as long as the ground stays soft. A possible target could be the Pertemps qualifier at Leopardstown but he's really a chaser in the making," said Nolan.
n SABRINA HARTY is hoping Won In The Dark can make the transition into top company this season as she plots a return to the track for her stable star. The son of Montjeu was the top juvenile here last season, finishing third in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and winning twice in Grade One company.
He was last seen running away with the Champion 4-Y-O Hurdle at Punchestown by 10 lengths and Harty is waiting for some decent ground before deciding on a comeback target. "I think he will be running shortly enough but we are just trying to find a race where the ground is going to be right," said the trainer.
"He's in great form with himself and he is built like a bull just at the moment - he is certainly a much stronger horse than last season.
"There is a Listed race at Naas at the start of next month we are looking at but he'd get a big penalty for that. He does not want the ground much worse than yielding so I'd say we might have to travel for England.
"We'll be looking at all the top races like the 'Fighting Fifth' at Newcastle which his owner is very keen on, and then there is the Boylesports International at Cheltenham as well.
