Favorite Moon and Luke Dempsey lead Friendly Star© Photo Healy Racing
English Cesarewitch also-ran Favourite Moon returned to winning ways with consecutive hurdle wins today, landing Galway's Colm Quinn BMW Novice Hurdle for trainer Bill Durkan and jockey Luke Dempsey.
Keen-going Friendly Star built up a clear lead from halfway and while still clear rounding the home turn, was headed by Favorite Moon on the run-in, with a length and a half separating the pair at the line.
Owner/trainer Durkan's assistant Gary Bannon later reported “we probably shouldn't have ran him in the Cesarewitch as the ground had gone too fast for him. In fairness to Shane Kelly he looked after him at Newmarket and said there'd be another day in him.
“We always said we'd come back hurdling and he'll tip away through the winter as he goes through that ground. I genuinely think you won't see the best of him until he steps up to three miles as he was a very dour stayer on the flat. He loves those conditions and he'll be a nice horse in time.
“There is a three-miles novice hurdle at Cheltenham in a month's time and that's where he'll run next.”
He added “he settled a lot better today than his previous runs and almost settled too well — my heart was in my mouth but Luke (Dempsey) said he was pretty confident he was going to pick up the leader (Friendly Star).”
