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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Castle another Mullins bumper winner in Limerick finale

Fri 19th Apr 2024, 20:06

 Ballygunner Castle and Jody Townend Ballygunner Castle and Jody Townend
© Photo Healy Racing

Ballygunner Castle powered clear in the closing stages to run out an impressive winner of the concluding bumper at Limerick tonight for Willie Mullins and Jody Townend.

The Soldier Of Fortune gelding had been a promising third on his debut at Thurles in February but was easy to back at 5/4 this evening having been as short as 4/7. Olympy De Cerisy went off 11/10 favourite to continue a good night for Declan Queally and made a bold bid from the front in the two-mile-three contest.

He was reeled in by Ballygunner Castle in the straight however and Townend's mount asserted inside the final furlong to post a comprehensive nine-length victory.

Townend said:- "I ended up getting there too soon but I wasn't sure how long Ray (Barron, on leader Olympy De Cerisy) would keep going and when he got running coming down the hill I left him carry me into it.

"If fairness when I gave him a slap he quickened up, he is a big galloper and will be a lovely horse over jumps."

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.