O'Neill ends barren spell

Adam O’Neill bridged a near five year gap without a winner when partnering rank outsider Acriveen to a shock 25/1 success in the two-mile handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse.

The 7lb claimer was recording his sixth career victory as the ten-year-old gelding led between the final two flights and stayed on gamely to beat First Impressions (14/1) by a length.

Top-weight El Fontan (13/2) held every chance another neck back in third, with Tin Town Boy (8/1) completing the placings in fourth.

This was the Accordion gelding’s 22nd start, and his only previous win also came at this venue in a handicap hurdle (2m4f) three and a half years ago.

Winning trainer John Berry said, “We’ve been a long time waiting on that. He had ability as a young horse but has had problems. He ran brutal the last day and we don’t know why.

“He’s my own so he’s paid for his oats! I also had him entered at Limerick over 2m6f tomorrow and the trip would probably have suited him better but I decided to go to the track that he’d won at before and take a chance.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson