Racing: Robert Power consolidated his position as clear leader of the claiming riders championship when recording a 98 to 1 double aboard Darby Wall and Stick The Lowman at Thurles yesterday.
Darby Wall, owned and bred by locally-born Matty Cahill, was prominent throughout in the opening two miles maiden hurdle and kept on gamely to beat Golden Alliance by a length and a half. "He was off for three months after returning lame from Cork in December, and the better ground was a help," said trainer Enda Bolger.
The 7 to 4 favourite Homer Wells proved a big disappointment, never getting into contention and finishing a well-beaten 13th.
Power, now on the 27 winner mark for the season, gave the Paddy Mullins-trained Stick The Lowman a strong drive in the two-and-a-quarter-mile handicap hurdle to deny the gambled-on Good Thyne Jack by a neck.
Present Abbey, who provided Wexford handler Ann Lambert with her first winner in a bumper at the Limerick Christmas meeting, added to that tally in the five-year-old maiden hurdle.
