Absurde © Photo Healy Racing
Second to classy stablemate Vauban in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot after winning a maiden hurdle at Killarney, Absurde was well beaten in the opening race at Galway on Tuesday but remains on target for a crack at next month's lucrative Sky Bet Ebor at York.
Sent off 4/6 favourite on his return to jumping in a Listed novice hurdle, the Fastnet Rock gelding was keen in behind runners in a a steadily-run contest and, after making a couple of errors, found little on the run to the last before coming home in sixth place.
Trainer Willie Mullins, who also saddled all-the-way winner Arctic Fly, said of the five-year-old Absurde, owned by the H O S Syndicate: "He missed a hurdle down the back and then the next one and they had gone too slow and he couldn't get out in time.
"I think his next run is the Ebor - it's not an ideal prep but we've gone from Galway to win the Ebor before with Sesenta (won under Gary Carroll, then claiming 5lb, in 2009) so we're looking forward to it."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
