Buddy One © Photo Healy Racing
After several creditable placed efforts in valuable handicaps this year, the 7/2 favourite Buddy One was a deserving winner of the featured W.B. Gavin & Co. Handicap Hurdle.
Owned by Eamonn Lynch, Tom Quinn and John Lynch and ridden by Jack Gilligan for his father Paul, the consistent six-year-old raced in touch just behind the leaders before making good headway to lead at the second-last.
When asked for more after the last, the winner found plenty to put his seal on the race and passed the post three and three-quarter lengths ahead of Gabbys Cross
Winning trainer Paul Gilligan said: "He definitely deserved that as he has been consistent and is after carrying a big weight and won as he liked. We're hoping to kick on to Cheltenham in November now for a staying handicap hurdle. He wants a trip, jumps well and is honest and that's what you want.
"If he stayed straight we think he'd have won at Cheltenham (in March) when only beaten a couple of lengths and backed it up when finding just one too good at Aintree.
"We might have a couple to run at Cheltenham in November and when you have horses like these, I like to campaign them at the good places and hope to get good results. I reckon he'll be a better chaser but I'd say we'll wait to jump a fence until next year."
He added "I'm delighted for all the lads who own him, everyone at home and for Jack, who is at home all the time. He is fierce tall but is light-boned.
"Danny is with Gordon (Elliott) and Liam got a bad fall and injured his shoulder in March but the operation has been put off. It is a joke at this stage and I don't know what's going on but it is a pity because he's missing the point-to-point season because of it."
Quotes from Tom Weekes
