Panda Boy and JJ Slevin (nearest) jump the last to win from Winter Fog© Photo Healy Racing
Panda Boy galloped on strongly in the closing stages to run out a convincing winner of the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown for trainer Martin Brassil.
The Valirann gelding went to post a 16/1 shot in the three-mile qualifier and was delivered to challenge going to the last by JJ Slevin.
He got to the front on the run-in and was pulling away late on to record a three-and-a-quarter length win over Winter Fog
The winner had taken a Punchestown maiden hurdle on his debut last March.
He was making his fifth start this afternoon and had finished mid-division on his return to action in the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle at Naas last month.
Slevin said afterwards:- “It was a good effort, he travelled well and jumped well. He's a good, tough, game horse and he's won well.
“His form was decent and I was hoping he'd run well but I wasn't sure. I was hoping he was capable of being in the first five or six but he stuck at it well and he was a good winner on the day.
“Over that trip he has a little bit of class, and a bit of cruise about him, and that's a good sign. Whatever he does over hurdles will be a bonus because he's going to be a right chaser.”
