Liberty Dance steps lively as Russell rides off into the sunset

Sunday: Thurles

The post-race celebrations were quite rightly all about Davy Russell retiring on a winner, but the performance of his mount Liberty Dance in the feature Billy Harney Memorial Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle should not be forgotten.

Having won her maiden hurdle here 17 days previously, the daughter of Soldier Of Fortune picked up well when going to the front at the second-last to beat Belle The Lioness by five and a half lengths, with market rival The Model Kingdom in third.

The level of the winner's improvement is demonstrated by her comprehensively turning the tables on The Model Kingdom from their meeting at Down Royal the previous month.

She was cut to 6-1 (from 16) by Paddy Power for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham and trainer Gordon Elliott said: "We knew that she had come on from the Down Royal run and her run here the last day, and over two miles this was a nice performance. She could step up in trip and she looks like one for a spring campaign on good ground."

Russell now joins Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Paul Carberry in retirement, the four great champions of that era. It is up to the new generation to make their own history now. To put it into perspective, Russell rode his first winner before Jack Kennedy was born.

Lizrona a local success

For many years the Molony Cup was the feature race run at this pre-Christmas meeting, and for a local trainer to win it was always special.

It must have been particularly sweet for Kilsheelan handler Eric Larkin after Lizrona scored in good style in the hands of Sean O'Keeffe, giving the trainer his first winner for five years, his last winner having also come at this venue.

The daughter of Dylan Thomas was contesting her first handicap chase and Larkin said: "That's a lovely race to win. She had been running over two miles and two miles four, but we felt that she wanted a trip and she got it today.

"I train only two horses and I pulled the other horse, Depeche Mo, out of Naas on Tuesday. I'm beginning to regret it now! I'd like to get a few more in but there are too many trainers around my area and it's difficult. But this is a lovely race to win and a lovely trophy to get."

New Ross defies absence

Joseph O'Brien continues his good season and produced a fine training performance with the Doyen gelding New Ross landing the 2m handicap hurdle under JJ Slevin. The winner had not been seen since pulling up in a Downpatrick novice hurdle 15 months previously.

Falling foul of the stewards in this race was Gary Noonan, rider of fifth-placed Blanketontheground. He was hit with an 11-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency and giving his mount insufficient time to respond.

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