Nucky Johnson set for Grade 2 test after fluent victory in feature

Noel Meade is eyeing the Grade 2 WillowWarm Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse next month for Nucky Johnson after the five-year-old landed the feature novice hurdle.

Conditional jockey Liam McKenna, riding his first winner for Meade, was seen to good effect on the son of Vadamos, quickening up on Nucky Johnson in the straight to peg back front-runner Doyen Ta Win and going on to score readily by five and a half lengths.

The winner was having his first run since being awarded a Punchestown maiden hurdle in November, and Meade said: "We put him away for the winter because we didn't think he would handle the ground, and while it's soft ground today it isn't like real winter ground. 

"He hasn't done much wrong, he's been consistent in everything he's done and if he's okay I think we'll send him for the novice hurdle at Fairyhouse.

"He is related to a Group 3 winner in Italy and it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that he might have a run on the Flat. He looks to have enough gears."

West has a future

The bumper that rounded off the track's jumps season looked a hot one on paper, but the Willie Mullins-trained Mirazur West dominated from the front under Derek O'Connor.

The JP McManus-owned winning pointer looked vulnerable turning in, but when O'Connor popped the question he drew away in good style to win by four and a half lengths from He's My Hero, with £360,000 purchase Mahon's Way a close third.

Mullins' assistant David Casey said: "He's a lovely horse and had been working well. He's a little more tractable than his brother Ferny Hollow was in his early days. He's a beautiful stamp of a horse and did everything right."

Good Times ahead

Sam Curling is praying for plenty of rain as he prepares Kim Muir winner Angels Dawn for a crack at the Irish Grand National a week on Monday, but he was pleased with the drying weather at Naas as Troubled Times got off the mark over hurdles in the mares' maiden.

Winner of a Listed bumper at Gowran when last seen in the autumn, the daughter of Shirocco put in a fine display of jumping under Phillip Enright.

Curling said: "She did it well. I was worrying about the ground but it is lovely out there and she jumped great. She was entitled to do that on her bumper form. We'll keep going with her over the summer and we'll see what mark she gets."

Anyone looking for a potential dark horse for the Galway Hurdle might just give her a second glance.

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