Lisleigh Lad powers to emotional victory at Fairyhouse

There was a heartwarming result at Fairyhouse on Wednesday, as 70-year-old Eleanor Broderick fulfilled a lifelong ambition when registering her first-ever victory under rules with Lisleigh Lad.

Broderick has been involved with racing all her life and actually rode during a golden era of Irish amateurs, but up to now her success has been limited to the pointing field, where she has succeeded both as a trainer and jockey.

However, she finally achieved her long-awaited breakthrough victory on the racecourse proper when 11-1 shot Lisleigh Lad reproduced the best of his form between the flags to claim the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Hunters Chase by an emphatic six and a half lengths.

Broderick said: “It’s my first winner, I’m 71 in two weeks’ time and I’ve always dreamt of winning a hunters chase. I’ve had 10 point-to-point wins but this is a huge deal for me and for everyone behind me.

“The team includes my partner Matt Slattery and Grace, who rides out for me along with Eoin (O’Brien) and Darragh Allen, who are my jockeys – I’m so lucky to have a good team behind me.

“My father (Donald) is born and bred in Listowel, loved hunting and was involved in the Avondhu Hunt and I actually rode three point-to-point winners.

“I wasn’t much good but rode with the likes of Timmy and Johnny Callaghan, Pat Healy, Nicky Dee, Jimmy Mangan and even Ted Walsh – they knew I was harmless so were good to me and I had a good grounding!

“I actually worked a horse in Jimmy’s (Mangan) the other day.

“The last time I was here with a horse was 34 years ago with my father and we had Ashpit finishing fourth in the Joseph O’Reilly.”

Owned, trained and bred by Broderick, Lisleigh Lad had previously won two point-to-points and defeated 2021 Galway Plate winner Early Doors when scoring last season.

Now Broderick’s wait for a second winner may be short, with the six-year-old set to remain competing under rules.

She added “Fitness was on Lisleigh Lad’s side today, he was very straightforward and God he won easy! I know the other horse fell at the last but he would still have won it.

“This fella is a good horse, but he wasn’t right last year. He won two (point-to-points) and beat Early Doors in Kildorrery. He came in this year a different horse, finished fourth in Curraghmore where he blew up, but was spot on for today.

“I don’t think he’ll go back point-to-pointing now and we’ll stay inside the rails. He’s a great jumper. I have two nice four-year-olds for point-to-points but they’re big and won’t be running until next year.”

It was the home team which was successful in the Lorna Brooke Ireland V Britain (Q.R.) Challenge Handicap Chase, held at the venue where Brooke registered her only success when riding in Ireland.

The first prize went the way of Gordon Elliott’s 5-2 favourite General Hubble, who provided Toni Quail with a winner on her very first call-up from the Cullentra House trainer.

Elliott said: “He’d a good run last week and Toni gave him a plucky ride. The 7lb off his back wasn’t any harm. There is a lady riders’ race back here in a few weeks and we may come back for that.”