Captain Conby in dominant form at Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
Facile-winner Captain Conby was value for much more than the margin of a length and a quarter in the rated novice hurdle at Punchestown.
Kevin Sexton 's mount tanked into contention upsides Bois De Clamart after the second last in this extended two and a half miler.
Captain Conby (4/1) was still on the bridle as he eased past Bois De Clamart (13/2) before the last. He didn't have to change gear in easily putting the runner-up away.
Trainer Dusty Sheehy: “I said it here the first day that I think he's a very good horse.
“At Cheltenham (Sales) no-one would look at him thankfully. There is a lot of improvement to come from him as he hasn't been galloped. He's done very little fast work, he's been trained to progress and is doing everything the right way.
“He has the engine and is a very easy horse to train, all I want is a little bit of luck. I definitely think he has the potential to be a graded horse. I know he has to improve more but he will.
“I thought he was off a very good mark but the handicapper can only go on what he saw the first day.
“He's entered at Cheltenham (in the Ballymore) but that's not really the plan. If he got into the Coral Cup or something like that we could look at it but he would probably need to win again and the time frame is tight. He's not a horse that would take a lot of racing.
“If he skips that he could go to Fairyhouse or come back here for the festival.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
