Peregrine has bookies on the Run

Peregrine Run landed a tidy gamble in some style when coming home clear in the Tayto Group Maiden Hurdle at Down Royal.

The six-year-old gelding, available at 12/1 in the morning and further backed on track from 11/2 into 7/2, had just taken over from the front-running An Caisteal Nuadh when that rival fell at the second last.

Roger Loughran ’s mount was soon in command and stretched right away on the run-in to score by all of 16 lengths. Llancillo Lord kept on one paced to take the runner-up spot, with 5/2 favourite finding no extra from two out another three quarters of a length back in third.

Winning trainer Peter Fahey said, “It was a good performance. We were waiting the whole time with him to get nice ground. I'm delighted for the owner (Vincent Byrne from Co. Offaly) because we have been chasing our tail with the horse for the last year trying to get him back into good form and they have had loads of patience.

"Hopefully he'll go on now and turn into a nice enough horse.

"There was a few quid for him this morning, and we were confident the way he was working at home. His last few pieces of homework were pretty good.

"We were waiting for the good ground for him and this is the first time he got it. If you look back to his bumper form he has been very good in bumpers.

"In fairness he had a mark of 106 coming into it so he deserved to do what he did. We'll see what the handicapper does - today was the plan!"

(MG & AM)