Beacon Edge and Sam Ewing win off the front© Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott's Beacon Edge showed tremendous resolution to land the McHale Pro Glide Hurdle at Ballinrobe.
The 10-year-old gelding, who would prefer more of a trip and slower ground, dictated from his three rivals over this extended 2m2f assignment.
He was there to be shot at by both No Looking Back and Fascile Mode before the last, but refused to be passed when No Looking Back looked particularly threatening in the straight.
The 6/4 favourite fended off the 5/2 runner-up by half a length at the line. Winter Fog drifted from 11/10 in the morning right out to 11/2 on the off and raced in last of the four runners and couldn't land a blow at the business end on his seasonal reappearance.
Jockey Sam Ewing said: "Ideally I would have liked a lead, but he's proven over so many distances and I didn't want to over-complicate it, so I said I'd let him roll away and enjoy himself.
"He picked up again when he was challenged. He's a dude of a horse and is very straightforward."
This was Beacon Edge's eighth career success.
The Raceday Stewards interviewed J.B. Foley, rider of third-placed Fascile Mode, concerning his use of the whip in the closing stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. In his evidence, J.B. Foley accepted he was in breach of the Whip Regulation and apologised for his actions. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Raceday Stewards were satisfied that J.B. Foley was in breach of R.10.3(g)(frequency) and having considered his record in this regard(first offence), they suspended him for one race day.
Additional reporting by Mark Nunan
