Poignant Fairyhouse victory for Alan O’Sullivan
EMOTIONAL SUCCESS: Hitthayson and Alan O'Sullivan en route to winning the Michael O’Sullivan & Lorna Brooke Ireland V Britain Challenge Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse on Friday. Picture: Healy Racing
On an emotional and poignant day for his family, Alan O’Sullivan partnered the Ian Donoghue-trained Hitthehayson to a chase debut success in the Michael O’Sullivan & Lorna Brooke Ireland V Britain Challenge Handicap Chase on a Fairyhouse card which survived two inspections.
Hitthehayson, a six-year-old winner of two handicap hurdle in recent months, stayed on dourly to beat favourite Duffys Hodey by two and three-quarter lengths, with Decimation, ridden by O’Sullivan’s first cousin Maxine in third spot.
Winning rider O’Sullivan explained: “It’s very good of Fairyhouse and Peter Roe to put this race on. It means a lot — all the family is here, probably the first time we’ve all been together since Michael’s month’s mind mass.
“There was a lot unknown about this horse today — his first time over fences and his first time tackling that trip. The ground wasn’t too bad and he jumped fierce well.
“Fair play to Ian for spotting this opportunity. And I’m delighted to ride a winner for him.”
Terence O’Brien, who bagged a first Troytown on Sunday, was on the mark again when 9-4 favourite Con’s Roc (Darragh Allen) coasted to an impressive, 17-length win in the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Hunters Chase.
“He had a stress-fracture in a caron-bone and needed time,” said O’Brien. “So it’s fantastic to see him win so well. He’ll probably go to Down Royal at Christmas and the year will plan itself from there. He might go to Cheltenham — I think he’s qualified after today.”
Having his second start over fences, the Mark Fahey-trained Flicker Of Hope (Donagh Meyler) took the competitive-looking Irish National Hunt Steeplechase CLG Beginners Chase, digging deep on the run-in to get the better of Patter Merchant by a neck, with favourite Kiss Will back in third.
“He jumped well and did everything right. He stays well and showed a good turn of foot and was tough. I’m not sure where he’ll go next — we might try him against the big boys in a graded race and see how he gets on.”
Philip Rothwell bagged victory in the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series when Kingkong Ciergues took the three-mile handicap hurdle at the expense of Lough Nigara and River Vale.
Rothwell declared: “I’m thrilled — the horse deserved it more than anything. He has run some fabulous races in defeat. Tiernan (Power-Roche) learned from, riding him here the last day.”
Although friendless in the market, the Charles Byrnes-trained On Your Way, ran out a wide-margin winner of the John Thomas McNamara Series Handicap Hurdle.
Patiently handled by Anthony Bustin, the 14-1 shot, off the track since last January, bolted-up by eight and a half lengths from Themanintheanorak, prompting his trainer to comment: “Heavy ground is the secret to him. He’s a very difficult ride, but Anothony rides him at home every day and knows him well.”
And, outpaced and apparently in trouble early in the straight, Gordon Elliott’s Unflinching (11-10 favourite) rallied for Harry Swan and got up late to foil All Night revival by a neck in the point-to-point bumper.
