Frere Fontaine is the toast of Rebels & Deise Frere Fontaine gained compensation for a narrow defeat last time when taking the Parkway Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle at Limerick. The enthusiastic Rebel Deise Syndicate were out in force to greet the Terence O’Brien-trained gelding back into the winners’ enclosure after this 2m5f event. The four-year-old gelding was just pipped by a short-head at Thurles last month and was well-backed here from 5/1 in the morning going off the 3/1 favourite. Phillip Enright’s mount travelled well to lead at the penultimate flight and drew clear on the run-in to beat Isabel’s Gold by six lengths. Likeable Chancer was a further five and a half lengths away in third, with An Marcach completing the places in fourth. O’Brien said, “I think there is two bus loads here with the owners. Conor Counihan is in charge of the syndicate. “He’s been a bit disappointing as I thought he would have been good enough to win a bumper last season and we ran over hurdles with the idea of going back for a bumper but it didn’t work out. “We left him off for the summer and hopefully he should go on from here.”
