Maeve's Choice and Andrew Lynch© Photo Healy Racing
Andrew Lynch and Peter Casey had many good times together, and on the day that the veteran handler passed away, the hard-working rider fired in a near 78/1 double at Fairyhouse.
Whilst Lynch's previous victory came on the well-fancied Play The Game thirty five minutes on the local jockey landed a 20/1 success aboard Maeve's Choice in the Next Racing At Fairyhouse Saturday February 7th Maiden Hurdle.
This can go down as a County Meath win on the training side of things too, as the Craigsteel gelding is handled for owner Michael Hannon, by Matthew Smith at his Kilmessan base.
A mistake at the last didn't stop the hurdling debutant, as the five-year-old eventually saw off Benefit Of Magic by four lengths.
"I knew he had the ability to win it but he was very green," said Smith.
"He hung out to the right in Leopardstown the last day and it was pure greenness. He was hanging out to his left today with Andrew.
"On his first run in Listowel he ran a cracker. I was a little bit disappointed with him the second day in Clonmel and the last day I don't know what happened, it was just pure greenness.
"I knew he had the ability to win today. He was very green when he got to the front and hopefully he can improve."
J.W. Kennedy, rider of Western Command trained by Gordon Elliott, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount ran keen and was pulled up thereafter.
L.P. Gilligan, rider of Samantha Bellamy trained by Brian Francis Cawley, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount did not handle the ground.
(GC & EM)
