Crawfords double up with 22's

Twentytwo's Taken completed a double on the afternoon for the Crawford brothers, Steven and Stuart, swooping late to land the mares' bumper at Fairyhouse in fine style.

The Larne-based brothers also took the opening rated hurdle thanks to the well-backed 9/4 favourite Man With Van and the market again spoke in favour of their representative here.

The daughter of King’s Theatre, also sent off the 9/4 market leader, was patiently-ridden by Steven Crawford who challenged down the outer in the straight.

She led inside the final furlong and stayed on really well to beat Beluckyagain by three and three quarters of a length, with Miss Mardan in third.

Stuart Crawford said, “It was a bit of an unknown with the ground but it was so wet they were getting through it easily. The last day at Down Royal it was very holding, and she’s improved a fair bit from her first run. We didn’t know what we had going to Down Royal but we have a better idea now.

“We’re thinking down the line we could go to Aintree, and I always thought she would handle better ground. Steven was confident on her, she was a bit keen and he was trying to settle her as well as he could.

“He wasn’t in any rush to make his way home and he gave her a good ride. She hasn’t had a hard race there and she’s not blowing hard.

“The owners could have sold her after her first run but they were keen to hold onto her as they are breeders. If she got a bit of black type it would be a big one for the pedigree.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson