Well-backed Emmet Mullins-trained double goes astray as second leg is pulled up

A well-backed double involving two Emmet Mullins-trained runners has failed to land after the second leg Shiroccoville, sent off the 4-6 favourite, was pulled up lame before the seventh hurdle.

Big Jim Dwyer, who was as big as 6-1 overnight and quoted at 5-1 on raceday, got double-backers off to a flying start in the opening claiming hurdle, scoring by two and a half lengths as 8-11 favourite.

He had even touched 8-15 with several firms following a market move around 1pm, but representatives for Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Ladbrokes warned that liabilities related to the long-absent duo were not significant.

Big Jim Dwyer: recorded the first win of his career at Limerick on ThursdayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Making his stable debut, having previously been trained by Keith Dalgleish, Big Jim Dwyer was defying a 426-day layoff while sporting a first-time hood under Donagh Meyler.

Shiroccoville, carrying the colours of Noble Yeats's former owner Paul Byrne, was available at 3-1 earlier on Thursday as she attempted to make a winning return from a 251-day layoff.

A winner on her first start since joining Mullins at Killarney last August, the seven-year-old mare had been absent since pulling up lame at Downpatrick in September.

Something looked to be amiss as she pulled up at the Patrickswell venue and was shortly dismounted by jockey Brian Hayes. According to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board's veterinary officer, Shiroccoville was lame on her right fore post race.

Speaking after the first leg had won, Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield suggested the firm had taken some bets on the Mullins-trained pair but the sums involved were not significant.

Sky Bet's Michael Shinners also told the Racing Post that there were no liabilities of note involving the two runners.

Emmet Mullins: won this year's Randox Grand National with Noble Yeats, his first runner in the raceCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"We've laid a bit of the double, but in all honesty it's nothing major and certainly not worrying us too much," said Binfield.

"We were assisted in that it's a very quiet card at Limerick featuring some relatively average racing so prices were fairly quick to move."

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes added: "We traded carefully and essentially dodged any bullets. We are starting to see some piggyback money now at shorter prices from those catching onto the story but no drama to report from our side."

In to be claimed for €4,000 – having changed hands for £9,000 around this time last year – Big Jim Dwyer had gone 0-10 in Britain for Dalgleish but was previously placed in a bumper for Joseph O'Brien.

Mullins, who owns the winning six-year-old and claimed him back, was not in a position to speak to the press post-race, as he was on lead-up duty and tended to a nasty cut on the horse's leg.

According to the IHRB veterinary officer: "He sustained a cut to his left fore and was lame post race."

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