Acres appreciates stamina test

Seven Acres sporting the Joncol colours of Kay Browne and trained like the former Hennessy Gold Cup winner by Paul Nolan, justified good support in the Oysters Point Handicap Hurdle.

Offers of 20/1 were snapped up in the morning and the five-year-old, who really appreciated this step up to three miles, was backed on track from 12/1 into 9/1 at the off.

The grey son of Flemensfirth was driven to the front after two out by Robbie Power and, with the final flight bypassed due to the stricken The Bomber Ryan #8217;s earlier fall, kept on gamely on the long run-in.

He’d nearly two lengths to spare over Drive On Locky at the line, with Alghanem and Tico completing the placings.

Nolan said, “It didn’t look a great race on paper and he wants every yard of three miles. We’ll keep him going for the summer now. We went to the sales and Colm (husband of owner Kay Browne) said he wanted to buy a grey horse.”

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy