'I didn't watch one jump. I was watching the floor the whole time' admits Levins

At this time of the year, Curragh trainer Johnny Levins would normally be waiting for the new year restart at Dundalk, but he took time out from preparing his all-weather string to land the feature veterans' handicap chase with Wishmoor.

It was hard work for this fellow and for his rider Ricky Doyle. The horse hardly travelled at any stage and his jumping was often deliberate.

He kept responding and finding from the front, however, and stayed on resolutely in the testing ground to hold off Lean Araig by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

"I thoroughly enjoy training this horse," said Levins with typical enthusiasm. "He was bought by Gaelic Bloodstock for a couple of their friends, we got two of them. I love training jumpers and would like to train a few more so that we can be a bit busier during the winter."

Asked if he enjoyed watching Wishmoor's adventurous round, Levins replied: "I didn't watch one jump! I was watching the floor the whole time. I get very nervous watching them on the Flat, never mind over jumps.

Johnny Levins: 'I get very nervous watching them'Credit: Patrick McCann

"That's him, though. He's an old horse and very clever; he only does the bare minimum and he handles that ground."

Glory awaits McCarthy
Athea trainer Eoin McCarthy has enjoyed a good Christmas too. His good handicap hurdler Matties Mountain completed a hat-trick in a handicap hurdle here on Tuesday, and previous track winner Moonlight Glory followed up in the competitive 2m handicap hurdle in the hands of Gearoid Brouder.

The daughter of Fame And Glory was following up her previous course win in November, and McCarthy said: "She won here over course and distance and the plan was to come back here six weeks afterwards. She was straightforward and is well bred, is out of a good mare and by the right sire. Today was the plan."

He added: "We had a super Christmas. We had two winners from five runners and got the tactics wrong on another which finished second."

Fairy stars for De Bromhead
Henry de Bromhead continued his excellent Christmas run of form when he and Rachael Blackmore combined for a double, the headline act being the runaway success of Atlantic Fairy in the mares' maiden hurdle.

Owned by Blackmore's sponsor Mark Phelan, the daughter of Jeremy made all and spreadeagled her opponents in scoring by 20 lengths from Nelly's Money.

The duo got off the mark in the opening maiden hurdle with another very promising type in Sean & Bernardine Mulryan's Kalkas, the imposing Kapgarde gelding making most of the running in comfortably holding off favourite Rajsalad by two-and-a-half lengths. He jumps like a chaser already.

Blackmore said: "He's very scopey and is a beautiful horse to ride. Derek O'Connor rode him last time and it was his idea to drop him back to this trip. He was spot on. It was tough going out there but he did it nicely."

Results, replays and analysis

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