RUBY WALSH secured his first winner since returning from injury when Bundle Of Fun struck at the Listowel Festival yesterday. Walsh had been out of action since July when he crushed a vertebra in his neck and tore a ligament after falling in a handicap hurdle at Killarney.
After making a low-key return on Sunday – since then he has only been sighted a handful of times – the star rider was back in the winner’s enclosure when Bundle Of Fun (5 to 1) pounced for Willie Mullins in the Devon Inn Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
Walsh said: “It was a lot easier to be hurting during the summer than the winter. Being injured is part and parcel of being a jumps jockey. I guess I’ve learned to cope with it.”
The feature race of the day, the Guinness Handicap Hurdle over two miles, went to the Eddie Harty-trained Princeton Plains under a patient ride by Niall “Slippers” Madden.
The winner was held up towards the rear or most of the race and then closed into fifth from just before the straight. He travelled well up alongside Delphi Mountain on the run to the last and battled on gamely to fend off that rival by half a length.
Favourite The Bull Hayes stayed on to take third two and half lengths back for Jessica Harrington and Barry Geraghty.
Winning trainer Eddie Harty said afterwards: “He’s a nice horse and he ran a great race in the Galway Hurdle to finish fifth. We said we would give him a break after that and come here and thankfully it worked out.
“It was a true run race and all the main contenders were there at the last and thankfully he came out on top. Niall did a super job. I told him to wait with him and that’s exactly what he did.
“It’s nice to have a winner for JP – he has been very good to me through the years and it’s good to repay him.
“We have nothing specific in mind for him now, he will probably run again in a month or so. The ground was a concern today, as it is sticky but he didn’t seem to mind it.”
Third in the Listed Flame Of Tara Stakes at the Curragh last September, Aris got off the mark in the Tote Jackpot Guarantee Median Auction Maiden for trainer Patrick Prendergast with Chris Hayes aboard.
Racing in second early on, Aris gained a narrow lead entering the straight before outbattling Jouster by half a length. Third-placed Master Melody was a little unlucky as he was squeezed for room, when coming with his challenge between Jouster and the runner-up Gordon Lord Byron.
The Dermot Weld-trained favourite Lord Windark finished a disappointing 10th.
Hayes said afterwards: “It’s hard to believe she was still a maiden. I was third on her around the time last year in a Listed race. She loves that ground and she stuck at it well.”
Run With The Wind sprang a 33 to 1 surprise in the FBD Insurance Handicap (1m 6f) for trainer Michael Hourigan with Sam James aboard. The win was a welcome one for Hourigan who recorded his last winner on July 21st when Hans Crescent scored over hurdles at Limerick.
The Kevin McManus Beginners Chase went to the Patrick Neville-trained 13 to 2 shot Toomdeely, overturning the well fancied favourite Son Amix.
The winning son of Saddlers’ Hall clearly has a liking for Listowel having won his only race before today over the course back on this day in 2008. He has proved disappointing since that win and went from Neville’s yard to Liam Burke to Pat Martin back to Neville since then.
