There was success for a Laois trainer on Day 2 of the Killarney Racing Festival.
Snugsborough Hall, trained by Mountrath based Liam Cusack, won the Easy Clean Limited Handicap Hurdle.
Ridden by Eoin Walsh, the 10-year-old led before two out and just held on in a driving finish to beat the long-absent Definite Plan (40/1) by a short head to claim the €12,600 first prize.
It was a first winner of the new season for Cusack and a small bit of compensation for the horse and his owners.
After finishing fourth in the Topham Chase in Aintree, he was primed for a tilt at a handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival last month.
But another horse called Ten Ten caused havoc at the start of that race before refusing to go and that impeded Snugsborough Hall and left him well behind.
While he did eventually get going, he was pulled up at the fourth fence.
Speaking to IrishRacing.com after the race, trainer Cusack was delighted with this win.
He said: “He got taken out in Fairyhouse when he was going to win a good pot and then the last day (when pulled up at Punchestown) so all you can do is go home and put your thoughts together.
“We said we’d wait for a niceish pot to use our hurdles mark and he seemed in good form.
“I thought I had him better going to Punchestown than previously for Aintree and seemed to be coming to himself and was better again since.
“He was seven on the ballot but got in and Eoin gave him a lovely ride.
“He might have a little break now with a view to the Galway Plate – there isn’t really much for him between now and then but might have a hurdle run before Galway.”
You can catch the closing stages of the race below:
Compensation for Snugsborough Hall!
The Topham fourth was badly hampered at the start at the Punchestown Festival which ended any chance he had of winning, and the ten-year-old tenaciously gains his first success for over two years switched to hurdles at @KillarneyRaces pic.twitter.com/vzeAek71Tj
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 10, 2021
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