The featured, three-runner Fairyhouse Racing From Home Webpage Hurdle provided more than its share of drama in Fairyhouse as Gordon Elliott’s novice Percy Warner dug deep to outpoint battle-hardened Low Sun.
The Jessica Harrington-trained Sizing Pottsie a 157-rated chaser reverting to hurdling, was sent off 4/9 favourite, set a strong pace and enjoyed a clear lead for most of the journey.
Paddy Kennedy started to send out distress signals on the favourite between the last two flights and Sizing Pottsie, still with a clear advantage but tiring, crashed at the last, leaving his two rivals to battle it out.
Low Sun (Paul Townend) was left in front. But Percy Warner responded to Jack Kennedy’s urgings to assert on the run-in to score by a half-length.
“I’d say we had a bit of luck on our side,” acknowledged Gordon Elliott. “Jack said he didn’t know what would have happened, but that the leader was tying up quickly going to the last.”
“He’s a grand horse, a big, laid-back horse. He’s still weak and very unfurnished. He was bought to be a chaser and that’s what he’s going to be next season. We’ll step him up in trip the next day, in either Punchestown or Thurles.”
Joseph O’Brien and J J Slevin completed a fine double, with long-absent Duc D’allier in the opening beginners chase and Fun Light in the Fairyhouse Racecourse Maiden Hurdle.
Off the track for 949 days, since winning a maiden hurdle for Henry de Bromhead at Clonmel in June 2018, Duc D’allier was confidently and patiently handled by Slevin in the opener, coming from off the pace and readily sweeping past Brawler on the lengthened run-in. (last fence omitted).
“J J was delighted with him,” stated O’Brien’s assistant Brendan Powell. “He travelled lovely, jumped brilliant and kept galloping. He was a bit keen when he came to us, but Neil Bashford did a lot of work with him. It was a good performance for a horse after such a long time off. I don’t know how strong a race it was, but it was a nice start over fences.”
The Carriganog double was completed when Fun Light, runner-up to stable-companion Battle Of Actium on his seasonal bow in Down Royal, picked up well to see off Salt Wind in the two-and-a-half mile maiden hurdle.
Slevin explained: “He was probably a bit rusty the last day. But he handled that ground well today. He travelled sweet and picked-up nicely when I needed him. I wouldn’t mind going further with him and chasing will probably his game.”
Sent off 2/5 favourite, Light Brigade opened his hurdling account, at the third attempt, in the Bar One Racing Maiden Hurdle, seeing off market rival Purdey’s Gift and longshot Lariat to triumph for Charles Byrnes and Kevin Brouder.
Byrnes said: “It looked a good opportunity – he was getting 8lb. from the second and third and made hard enough work of it.
“He had a bad experience the day he fell in Limerick. Another horse crashed into him when he was getting up.
“He broke a bone in his forehead and bled plenty for a couple of days. Slippers (Niall Madden) said he was a bit careful the last day, remembering the fall, but he jumped better today. He’ll have to step-up from this and will go handicapping.”
