First winner for Danny Fitzgerald on Glorytogod Tom

Danny Fitzgerald partnered his first winner under Rules when Glorytogod Tom just came out on top in a thrilling finish to the Wexford Racing Members Supporters Club Maiden Hurdle at odds of 22/1.

The victory was a real family affair as the Fame And Glory gelding is trained near Killeagh by his father Martin, while his grandad Joe is the owner/breeder.

Glorytogod Tom and Slim Marvel swept past the front-running Half Of Six Pence at the penultimate flight and the pair fought out a tremendous finish with Fitzgerald’s mount just getting up on the line by a nose.

The well-backed 13/8 favourite Champagne Mahler kept on one paced four and a quarter lengths back in third.

Martin Fitzgerald said, "That's Danny's first winner on the track and just his second ride against professionals. He is 18 and is in a good school with Liam Burke. He comes home to me then around midday.

"He is very tall but his weight is after stabling in the last year or two. He is lighter now than he was when he was 16. He rides away in point-to-point's every Sunday and had three winners point-to-pointing.

"This horse had a very good run in Cork and had very good horses in front of him. He was very free in his first run here at Wexford and he had to drop him in to settle him. They got wicked strung out the last day at Gowran and he found it very hard work to get back into the race. He finished seventh there and nothing was going to touch the first five home. Sixth would have been the best he could have managed there but I was very happy with his run there.

"My father is the owner, breeder and he is a grandson of Solerina. His half-brother won for me in Tramore. Fences will probably bring out the best in the two of them, but they will both be staying hurdling this season."

Quotes by Donal Murphy