Noel Meade saddled his 75th winner of the National Hunt season when Fiddlers Bow VI landed the Carrolls EBF Handicap Hurdle at Dundalk last night.
Barry Geraghty's mount headed the front-running Oliver's Island in the closing stages to score by three-quarters of a length, and a delighted Meade said afterwards: "I have been trying to win this race since I started training. It was formerly one of the top handicap hurdles worth £25,000, and it's a pity the prize fund is now just £8,000!
"He probably needs two and a half miles nowadays, and we may try him over fences," added the Navan handler.
Local handler Gerry McArdle has the GPT Amateur Handicap at the Galway Festival in mind for Abuhail, who opened his jumping account in the Dunleer Maiden Hurdle. The 4 to 5 favourite led early in the straight but Conor O'Dwyer had to earn his fee on the run-in to hold Red Robin by three-quarters of a length.
"This horse wintered in Dubai before scoring at York last year for Peter Walwyn. I bought him at the Newmarket Horses-In-Training Sale last autumn, and the aim now is the GPT at Galway," said McArdle.
O'Dwyer later doubled up aboard Old Abbey in the Mickey McArdle Memorial Cup Handicap Chase. The Torus gelding, well-supported from 7 to 1 to 5 to 1, led with a circuit to run, and rallied well when challenged between the final two fences to beat Scallybuck by four and a half lengths.
John Murtagh and John Oxx were on the mark with Hariymi. The Woodman colt stretched clear in the final 100 yards to beat Dee-One-O-One by three and a half lengths in the Clogherhead Maiden.
