Joey Sasa opens his hurdle account

Joey Sasa gained a deserved win over hurdles when taking the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The seven-year-old gelding won two bumpers in the space of five days this autumn, and has since filled the runner-up spot on both maiden hurdle outings at Navan.

Sean Flanagan produced the 3/1 chance on the outer entering the straight, and he kept on well on the run-in to beat Barra by two and a quarter lengths. Castello Sforza was a further half a length away in third.

Winning trainer Noel Meade said, “He was beaten by a good horse in Navan, and I really thought he would win today. Sean said the ground was a help, and he felt it was yielding with no soft in it.”