Emancipator and Michael O'Sullivan © Photo Healy Racing
Michael O'Sullivan won both divisions of Fairyhouse's Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap Hurdle today by eight lengths, completing the feat on the Terence O'Brien trained, well-backed Emancipator (7/4f).
O'Sullivan had earlier won the opening divide of the 2m4f race on eight-lengths easy winner Clody Valley and steered Emancipator to another effortless same-margin win, over runner-up Robindevidastar
Trainer O'Brien, who teamed up with O'Sullivan to win a Grade B hurdle at the Listowel festival, quipped “he won like a 6/4 shot, maybe even a 4/6 shot!
“They (TerenceOBrien Racing Club) are very happy owners. He won six weeks after we bought him so was a savage buy in fairness and we've had super fun with him.
“He had two further runs over hurdles and was a bit disappointing but it was the end of a long season and in fairness to Donie and Brian Hassett (previous connections), they told me he probably had enough done. They said to put him away for soft ground, which we did.
“It was the horse's first long break for a while and it obviously did him good.”
He added “I wasn't 100 percent sure, coming here, how fit he was as he hasn't been away from home but I suppose it didn't look a great contest to be fair and he was 6/4 for a reason.
“He's very good over a fence so he has plenty of options although I probably wouldn't run him too quickly again as that was his first run of the season. I'm sure the handicapper won't miss him this time.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
