JACK Kennedy extended his lead over Paul Townend at the head of the jockeys’ championship with one winner at Limerick last Friday as he steered Gigginstown House Stud’s Favori De Champdou (8/13 favourite) to land the featured Grade 3 Hugh McMahon Novice Chase.

A Grade 2 winner last November, Favori De Champdou fell in the recent Irish Grand National and today was made work hard by both neck runner-up Donacheady Gale and third-placed Bella Bliss, in the home straight.

Kennedy’s success moved him to 117 wins this season, three clear of chasing Townend, and regarding the Gordon Elliott-trained winner, later said: “He got a fall in the Irish National and jumped a bit carefully today. He was very careful and I wasn’t able to go as quick as I would have liked on him but he got it done.

“It turned into a sprint down to the second last but he was going to outstay them.”

Drama

There was drama in opening races at both Limerick and Ballinrobe’s fixture with trainer Declan Queally taking both races with well-backed outsiders – landing the opener at the Munster venue with front-running 22/1 chance Rocky’s Diamond.

The winner had been a 150/1 chance earlier in the afternoon, was well-backed on course and in the race, under jockey Shane Fitzgerald, made the running and rallied well to hold Palamon by five lengths.

Afterwards Declan Queally junior reported: “I had been disappointed with a couple of my runners in the past few weeks but was happy with the way this fella worked during the week and told David (Kiely, owner) to have a few quid on him.

“Shane gave him a great ride and he is a nice horse who jumps well. He is a half-brother to (six-time winner) The Little Yank, is a grand horse and we might end up sending him to Doncaster (sales). His owner also had last year’s champion point-to-pointer Rocky’s Howya but he got a leg at the end of last year.”

Some 25 minutes later, Queally’s Diamond Nora was similarly backed from 150/1 and returned 16/1, before scoring in Ballinrobe’s opening race.

ERNIE From Nurney (5/2 favourite) recorded consecutive wins in the Panoramic Restaurant Novice Handicap Hurdle, as the Padraig Roche-trained gelding followed up a recent Naas success, under jockey Peter Smithers.

Smithers produced the seven-year-old to challenge on the outer at the second last and while the winner jumped right at the final flight, held on well to beat Aboy Joey by three-quarters of a length for the Tribal Lily Syndicate.

Roche reported: “That was grand and he keeps improving the whole time.

“Peter is with me every day and is riding well. I’m delighted for him and he has done a lot of work with this lad as he wasn’t easy in the early days.

“It is great he won again for the syndicate and they’d love to have a day out in Galway so I might protect his hurdle mark until then and go for a chase next.”

Deserved success

Cosmo Renfro (9/2) gained a deserved second career success – both at Limerick, when landing the Parade Ring Bar Handicap Hurdle for trainer Shane Nolan and jockey Kieren Buckley and owner Neil Cox.

A course winner last November, the seven-year-old had finished in the placings on each of his subsequent five starts and today scored by three-quarters of a length from Beeverstown Place, whose jockey Niall Moore picked up an eight-day suspension for excessive whip use.

Winning trainer Nolan said: “You can’t knock him as you won’t find a tougher horse in training. He had finished second to Aodhan May twice so we were delighted when we saw that Charles (Byrnes, trainer) had nothing in it!

“Neil (owner) was patient and gave him the time he needed last year and every day this season the horse has been good. His jumping wasn’t brilliant in the past but cheekpieces have helped and he now makes ground at his hurdles.

“I wouldn’t like running him back so soon as today but the heavier the ground, the better for him. He’ll school over fences before going out for the summer.”

Second win

Another Ocana was another seven-year-old gelding to record the second of his two career wins at today’s course, when bagging the Limerick Races On Facebook Handicap Hurdle, for jockey Eoin Walsh and trainer Louis Archdeacon.

Previously successful in a maiden hurdle last Christmas, Another Ocana reeled in leader Know The Game on the run-in, beating that rival by a length and a half.

Archdeacon said: “Eoin was actually fairly happy going to the final fence as he was letting him fill up a bit and they gave it one go. He is a real course specialist and puts his best foot forward here.

“We came here today with the intention of putting him away for the summer and that’s what we’ll do. There is a Meathman, a Galwayman and the rest of the (nine-member Tribes, Royals & Rebels Syndicate) owners are from Cork.

Dancing delivers surprise success

BIGGEST priced winner of the day was 25/1 chance Dancingonaceiling, which provided trainer Alex Ott with a first winner in the Limerick Races On Instagram Maiden Hurdle. Ridden by Sean Flanagan, Dancingonaceiling tracked the leaders, led from halfway and on the run-in held on to beat Driscolls Hill by a half-length.

Delighted Ott later reported: “That’s my first winner and we only have a handful of horses and a restricted licence. I’m disabled (following a fall in 2015) so I am full-time with the horses, it is enough to keep me going and do a small bit of farming. My two sons Andy and Luke both ride and Andy is in American and has eight winners ridden. He is on the 90-day visa and hopefully will be home before the point season finishes as he is still in with a chance in the novice riders’ title.” He added: “Dancingondaceiling won his point-to-point the same way - on soft ground - he stays and makes ground at his jumps. He is a fair old horse.

“The (Singing In The Rain) syndicate are from Kanturk, Meelin and Dromtarriffe and we’ll discuss tactics with them now - maybe his ground is gone and he might have enough done for this season.”

Ballygunner Castle (5/4) provided Willie Mullins with a win in the concluding bumper, scoring readily under Jody Townend for owners John Brennan and David Flynn. Townend reported: “I ended up getting there too soon, When I gave him a slap he quickened up, he will be a lovely horse over jumps.”