Duty Bound lands Wexford handicap on chase debut

Duty Bound (16/1)  made a winning start over fences in the Treo Eile Handicap Chase.

Bought for 55,000 pounds last autumn by Tramore trainer John Flavin, the Kingman gelding had been running creditably in handicap hurdles and was prominent throughout under Conor Stone-Walsh.

Sent to the front on the approach to the home turn with no more jumping to be done (fences in the straight taken out due to the sun), the five-year-old was ridden out to score by a length-and-a-quarter from Farrokh  

"He is very well-bred," said Flavin.

"He had a few problems when we got him but thankfully we've ironed them out. He always worked fairly well and I said I'd give him a run in a handicap chase today to protect his (hurdles) mark.

"Then they took all those fences out and it worked in his favour. I said to Conor that if he was going well over the last down the back to set sail for home because he won around Sandown and he is tough and hardy. He stuck at it well. 

"The Queen actually bred him and I got him out of Andrew Balding's at Newmarket last year.  

"I'm delighted for his owners. I own a share in him along with Des O'Brien, John Bermingham and Johnny O'Neill. 

"Today was the plan and we might go back hurdling with him now, we'll see what happens."

Quotes from Donal Murphy