Grandero Bello strikes for the Hartys

Grandero Bello ridden by Ricky Doyle, made a winning racecourse debut in the 2m4f maiden hurdle at odds of 16/1.

Having tracked the leaders, the six-year-old got a nice through on the inner after the second-last and hit the front before the final flight. Lucky Tenner looked a danger on the run-in but was held by three quarters of a length with Boddisattva staying on well to finish a further length and a quarter back in third.

The winner was successful on his third point-to-point start for Donnchadh Doyle at Boulta before Christmas before being sold to current connections for £50,000 at an online sale.

Patrick Harty, who trains the winner along with his father Eddie, “We're delighted with that. We bought him on the recommendation of Barry Geraghty for Josie Reed, who I've known for a long time, she's Nicky Henderson's sister and I got to know her quite well over there.

“Herself and a friend Robert Caddick were on the lookout for a nice young horse to knock a bit of sport out of.

“There is an Irish connection with the Henderson's as Josie's grandmother was Irish, she found all this out through lockdown and this is why they wanted to have a horse in Ireland. We were the benefactors of that.

“We bought him off the Doyles through Thoroughbid. Whatever he does this year is a bonus because he's a big tall frame of a horse.

“He doesn't show at lot at home and whatever he does this year he'll improve for it. I was hopeful he'd run a nice race today but wasn't expecting that to be honest but we'll take it.

“We'll reassess now and see what the handicapper thinks. Realistically I came here today hoping that he'd finish third or fourth, a nice run and learn plenty, and we'd go and try to win a maiden then on our next start.

“We'll enjoy today and worry about what we do next tomorrow. Maybe a rated race or handicap, I don't want to go to town on him because he had three runs in point-to-points before Christmas so one or two runs this year and a good summer break and he'll be a lovely chaser next year.”

(GC & MN)