Art Of Silence leads Wordsworth over the last© Photo Healy Racing
All eyes were on the highly-rated flat performer Wordsworth in the opening Breaffy House Resort Maiden Hurdle, but he ultimately had to settle for second behind Art Of Silence
A surprise bumper winner at the Co Mayo venue in May of last year, the Ger Keane-trained victor was third and fourth on his most recent efforts over flights.
Sent off a 10/3 chance (6s early) this evening, he was settled in second by Keith Donoghue and despite making a mistake two out, he soon got to the front in the colours of the Quiet Men Partnership.
Challenged by Wordsworth on the run to the last, he battled gamely on the run-in to see off the Josh Halley-trained market leader by a neck.
The runner-up, who was rated as high as 111 on the level, was returned the 6/4 favourite under Phillip Enright, while Weseekherthere (7/4) was a further eight-and-a-half lengths away in third.
"He's a lovely big horse, a big baby who's still only learning. I think there's more to come from him and, down the road, he might go a bit further. He's a bit short of a gear but he gallops and jumps," Keane commented.
"He was running on the Flat on soft ground which he couldn't handle and ended up with a nice mark so I'd be hoping he could win in that game too.
"He wants it just on the easy side of good, like it is here today, he wouldn't want fast ground. I think he's a spring/summer horse rather than a winter horse, although I hope I'm wrong about that!
"He's after having a few quickish runs so a couple of weeks after Galway we'll look for something for him. We'll see what mark he gets, the second horse had a big reputation but I don't know what sort of a race this was."
STEWARDS REPORT
G.P. Brouder, rider of Elephant John trained by Peter McCreery, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount ran too free, got tired was pulled up.
Additional reporting by Mark Nunan
