Smart Stephens Day Double For Getaway

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Assemble (5g Getaway - Annaghbrack, by Rudimentary) completed the first leg of a double for his sire when justifying favoritism in the maiden hurdle at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day.

Carrying a penalty for his bumper win last time out, the bay was stepping back up to two and a half miles - the trip of his debut second in a point-to-point last year for Edward Hales. Oakley Brown rode him in a prominent position, improving to lead narrowly at the final flight and kept on to win by two lengths, with the field strung out behind the second.

Assistant trainer Brendan Powell commented after the race, “Assemble should be a nice horse, he looks a real 3-mile chaser in time. It was a good performance under a penalty and he should have a good future.”

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned winner was bred by Richard and Caroline Mathias and sold for €100,000 as a three-year-old.

Later in the day at Sedgefield, the progressive Meep Meep Mag (5m Getaway - Deadly Pursuit, by Subtle Power) produced a fine front-running performance to win the mares’ bumper by nine lengths.

Conor O’Farrell partnered the David Pipe-trained bay, who had been placed on both her previous starts in bumpers. She was bought by Pipe for M Lambert and Mrs R White after winning a point-to-point for John Murphy. Bred by KP O’Driscoll, she is the first winner out of her dam, an unraced half-sister to dual Kerry National victor Ponmeoath (Flemensfirth).