Welcome win for Fox as Getout obliges

Ger Fox recorded his first winner since March of 2012, as he partnered the Charlie Swan trained Getoutwhenyoucan to a deserved success in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

After finishing second on his last two starts, the winning five-year-old son of Beneficial, who was wearing a hood for the first time, was well-backed from 11/4 to 2/1 clear favourite on-course.

Prominent throughout, the JP McManus owned gelding hit the front at the third last flight, and he was ridden out on the run-in to see off the challenge of Sir Harry Cash (9/1), for Shane Shortall and Eric McNamara, by four lengths. Shabra's Bertolini finished a further twelve lengths back in third under Conor Brassil for Oliver Brady at 11/2.

Charlie Swan said afterwards: "It wasn’t a great race. He has been second the last couple of times so it is nice to get his head in front.

"He travelled a bit better today and he had a hood on for the first time.

"We will go for something similar now. I wasn’t going to run him, but he got three pound for finishing second the other day, he was running off his old mark here so that is the reason I ran him back so quick.

"He seems to handle that heavy ground."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson