LISTOWEL REPORTQUARTINO GAVE Jessica Harrington and Barry Geraghty a valuable prize when running out a ready winner of the Guinness Handicap Hurdle, the feature race at Listowel yesterday.
The seven-year-old came into the €50,000 race on the back of a victory at Bellewstown last month.
Given a masterful waiting ride by Geraghty, the 7 to 1 chance challenged the leaders at the second-last before drawing well clear.
He idled on the run-in and was value for a good deal more than the length and a quarter margin over Sanglote suggests.
The Southampton Goodwill Chase saw the return of Rathgar Beau. Dusty Sheehy's 12-year-old had been absent for 712 days and though he finished last of the three runners, his trainer was chuffed with his performance.
"I was pleased enough with the horse," said Sheehy. "He might run next in the National Lottery Chase at Gowran next month. But I won't run him on fast, he needs it soft."
The race went the way of Tom Taaffe's Emotional Article who made all to beat Conna Castle. The pair were 6 to 4 joint-favourites.
Sheehy had better luck in the next race as Holly Tree (11/4) ran out a facile winner of the Helena Sheahan Memorial Novice Chase.
Ruby Walsh took up the running half a mile out and coasted home 17 lengths clear of Clew Bay Lodge. Willie Austin's Conem (7-1) provided Walsh with a quick double in the Dawn Omega Milk Handicap.
Toomdeely (14-1) provided Patrick Neville with a welcome winner in the TP Walsh Memorial Handicap as he coasted home by 15 lengths.
