HORSE RACING: Just two months after incurring a near fatal injury, the remarkable Limestone Lad picked up the 30th victory of his career at Punchestown yesterday.
Since his rider Paul Carberry had earlier broken through the 100 barrier for the season, it was a day of milestones, but Limestone Lad took to centre stage as if he had never been away.
Typically, he made every yard of the running in the Champion Stayers' Hurdle to beat the 16 to 1 shot Bob Justice by six lengths.
Equally typically Limestone Lad did it with the sort of elan that left everyone wondering how Baracouda would have coped at Cheltenham if the Irish star had made it there.
"He is simply unique," declared Michael Bowe who initially believed the horse he idolises might have to be put down after finding him trapped in some fencing last February.
"That is a big relief. I was jittery because it's getting harder to assess his fitness. He just takes twice as much work, and twice as much food, as any other horse. I almost have to be cruel to get him fit," said Bowe.
Limestone Lad was given a 10 to 1 quote for Stayers' glory at Cheltenham next year and that, rather than fences, will be the priority.
"Why risk him over fences when he wins races like that? But I can't give him much time off because I'd never get him back. I will strongly consider some of those handicaps over two miles-plus on the flat to keep him going," Bowe added.
Limestone Lad was winner number 101 of Carberry's championship winning season but the honour of his century went to Moratorium who snaked through a large field in the opener to win snugly. "Finally!" grinned Carberry who left it to Noel Meade to sing his praises.
"Yer man is just something else. You get a buzz just watching him. He just paddled that horse around and got him jumping great," the trainer said.
Carberry is just the second jump jockey to ride a century of winners in a season in Ireland, following in the footsteps of Charlie Swan.
The former champion rode 150 winners in 1995 but whether or not Carberry can emulate that, he was still given a 2 to 1 quote by Cashmans to hit the 100 mark again next season.
However, a much more local landmark was achieved in the La Touche which was won for a remarkable seventh time by Risk Of Thunder.
It was a 12th Punchestown success in total for the cross-country specialist who was promptly retired after holding off Ballyday Dazy by a neck.
Risk Of Thunder quickly left the winners' enclosure to receive some oxygen but later returned to the parade ring for a victory lap of honour.
Moscow Flyer won the Swordlestown Cup pretty much as he liked except for a blip at the second last and will be aimed next season at the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Quazar made Tony Dobbin's first ever Punchestown ride a successful one when overcoming trouble in running in the champion four year old hurdle.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained winner was in a pocket on the turn in but quickened past Balapour at the last to go on and beat Newhall by half a length. "He's a brave little devil who has been to every cock fight in the country and keeps coming back for more," said O'Neill who will aim Quazar at next season's Champion Hurdle.
