Walks In June makes winning start to life over hurdles

Well supported from 15/8 into 4/5f, the Henry De Bromhead trained Walks In June made a winning debut over flights when keeping on well to take the Irish Wire Products (C & G) Maiden Hurdle at Limerick.

A former point-to-point winner, the five-year-old had run a big race on his Rules debut when third at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.

Unable to back that up at Fairyhouse on his only subsequent start, the Barry Maloney owned gelding had been absent since that race in January.

Making most under Darragh O'Keeffe on his reappearance, Walks In June asserted from two out, keeping on well to beat Torps by two-and-three-quarter lengths.

Henry De Bromhead said: "He is a nice horse who was very raw. He ran very well in a bumper at Leopardstown last Christmas and was disappointing at Fairyhouse. We have liked him at home and Darragh said he'd come on plenty.

"He is a big jumping horse and he is coming at the right time now for this job. We'll dip into a novice now and see where he is at. The dream is still alive and he will come on plenty from today and a step up in trip will also suit.

"There haven't been many schooling races run, with the ground being so good, so often ours would go for schooling hurdles but a few, including him, hadn't. With these extra runs you need nowadays (to qualify for certain races) we are probably starting him a bit sooner, so I'm delighted with him."