Double Irish records very easy win The Gordon Elliott trained Double Irish ran out a very easy winner of the Paddy Power Maiden Hurdle, scoring under Davy Russell. The five-year-old son of King’s Theatre finished second on his sole point-to-point start at Kildorrey in February, and he finished in the runner-up berth again on his racecourse debut in a bumper at Cork in April. Both those runs came for Pat Colville, and after disappointing on his first two starts over hurdles for Elliott, he was sent off at 16/1 this afternoon. Having raced prominently throughout, the bay gelding travelled best entering the straight and he stretched clear before the last, keeping on strongly from there to record an eased down thirteen length success. Champagne James was sent off the 11/8 favourite, but he could only manage a well-beaten second under Danny Mullins for Ted Walsh, while Quickpick Vic was a further seven lengths back in third under Ruby Walsh for Tony Martin at 4/1. Gordon Elliott said afterwards: “He improved from his last few runs and he did that well. I’m not sure where he will go now but he will make a nice horse in time.” Additional reporting by Alan Magee
