Fenway Park and Keith Donoghue maroon white win the Punchestown Maiden Hurdle from Syracus Du Houx © Photo Healy Racing
Trainer Gavin Cromwell completed a double on the card when odds-on favourite Fenway Park kept on strongly to justify his short price in the Punchestown Home Of Irish Jumps Maiden Hurdle.
Sent off a well backed 4/7f, Keith Donoghue kept it simple on the five-year-old, making most of the running. Lightkeeper tried to keep the favourite honest, even managing to lead for a brief spell early on the second circuit but the Gordon Elliott trained gelding had no more to offer after the second last. Syracus Du Houx emerged from the chasing pack to throw down a strong challenge on the run to the final flight but the eventual winner pulled out more for Donoghue, staying on well to prevail by one-and-a-quarter lengths at the finish.
Gavin Cromwell: “That was grand. I suppose with the run at the festival here a repeat performance of that and the two-and-a-half miles looked ideal today,” said Cromwell.
“He was quite professional. I was a little bit worried when the second horse came to him, I thought we were in trouble, but he pulled it out again to be fair to him.
“He just wouldn't want bottomless winter ground. He'll get further and he'll be a nice horse when he goes chasing.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
