General Clermont and Gavin Brouder survive a mistake at the last to win the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.© Photo Healy Racing
General Clermont gave his supporters a real scare when almost coming down at the last before recovering to run out an easy winner of the first division of the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle at Killarney.
The Davy Fitzgerald trained gelding had been pulled up on his two most recent starts but was clearly expected to do better this afternoon, as he was backed down from double digits into 5/1.
Gavin Brouder snuck his mount into this race inside the last half-mile, latching onto the heels of leaders Mr Social and Depeche Mo running out of the back straight. Battle Away made ground at the same time, leaving the race between that quartet.
The latter mare briefly looked a threat as she loomed up on the outside of Mr Social but as Depeche Mo dropped away, it was General Clermont who moved through on the rail to take it up two out.
Racing clear of his rivals on the approach to the last, a bad mistake at that flight almost cost the seven-year-old the race but he managed to find a leg before keeping on to win easily.
Davy Fitzgerald said: "He was too free the last day and settled today. I thought he'd do that a long time ago and ran a cracker in a maiden hurdle here in the past when he was a 112 or 113 rated horse.
"He is a tricky horse to win with but got a super ride today. My horses are healthy and we'll enjoy the wins while we have them."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
