Angel wings in on debut

On a day when the Willie Mullins-trained Twinlight proved best in the featured, Grade 3 Faber Audiovisuals Novice Chase, Davy Russell deservedly earned the plaudits in Galway yesterday thanks to a spectacular treble on Rogue Angel, Shrapnel and Lastoftheleaders in the first three races.

Making his hurdling debut, the Mouse Morris-trained Rogue Angel justified odds of 1/6 in the opening Corrib Oil 4-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle, forging clear on the run-in to beat Up Sluggarh by seven-and-a-half lengths and prompting his trainer, not a fan of Easyfix Hurdle, to state: “He’s a chaser, Full stop! He couldn’t do any more than that today and will improve from the run. We’ll take it steady with him.”

Russell carried the colours of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud to victory again when Shrapnel, formerly trained by Charles Byrnes and having his first run for Gordon Elliott, proved too strong for front-running Rory O’Moore in the CCTV Venue Control Maiden Hurdle.