FORMER jockey Shane Broderick, who is confined to a wheelchair after a fall at Fairyhouse ended his career, enjoyed his biggest success since taking up training when 13-2 chance The Long Haul captured the valuable Proudstown Handicap Hurdle.

Partnered by Conor Maxwell, The Long Haul made all in the two mile seven furlong event to score by 25 lengths. Speaking by phone from his home in Lorrha, Broderick said: "I knew the way the horse stays the trip would suit him, and he was well in at the weights with Conor's 7lb claim. He's as fit as a flea and I knew they wouldn't catch him today in that ground."

Jockey David Casey made a successful return to action when recording an all-the-way win on the well-supported Charlie Swan-trained favourite Gripit N Tipit in the first division of the Irish Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle. Casey was sidelined for 10 weeks with a crushed pelvis, but showed that he has lost none of his dash in bringing the five-year-old home by a comfortable nine lengths from 50-1 outsider My Auld Man.

Swan hasn't had a runner for three weeks and said: "If ever there was a right time for David to be out, this was it, because all my horses were sick and I just had to stop.

We'll take small steps with this fellow and run him at Limerick over Christmas, but he'll make a nice chaser some day."

The race was divided three ways to make up a six race card when the three chases were abandoned, and the honours in the second leg went to another favourite Tex Morgan, from the Tom Taaffe stable. Taaffe said of Barry Geraghty's mount: "He's still a big baby and won't be too busy this year. He needs time to grow into himself."

Trainer Noel Meade combined with jockey Paul Carberry to take the KMCS Construction Novices Hurdle with Aitmatov. Meade commented: "Paul said he hated that ground, and I only realised when they were halfway down the back straight that I forgot to put the tongue tie on him."