Eviscerating (Evan Daly) jumps with Commandant (eventual 3rd) and Coral Blue (eventual 2nd) in behind© Photo Healy Racing
Gigginstown House Stud and Joseph O'Brien got on the score-sheet for a second time on the day at Naas when Eviscerating (12s into 10s) just held on in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
Gigginstown struck in the previous heat with Roaring Bull (Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy) whilst O'Brien was on the mark in the race before that again through Band Of Outlaws (Justin Carthy and J J Slevin).
The winning owners and trainer actually had the 1-3 here with Eviscerating (Evan Daly) and Commandant (Hugh Morgan) but connections and backers of runner-up Coral Blue (20s into 16s) were most unfortunate.
He didn't get the clearest of runs but when Eric Roche secured a passage up the inner on the run-in, it looked like Seamus Fahey's charge would get there.
As it happened though Eviscerating (in first-time cheek-pieces) was 'bobbing' at the right time and just prevailed by a nose from Coral Blue in a finish of Galway conditional jockeys.
“Evan gave him a good ride. It's a good job the horse has such a big head!” said O'Brien.
“I thought he was beat but when we saw the replay, I was standing with Eddie, and his head was down at the line so we thought he had a little chance because he hit the line well.
“In those 50/50 ones you'll come out the wrong end half the time and the better side the other half.
“He's a huge horse and he'll definitely be better when he jumps fences. It's nice that he's won a hurdle now because it looked like we were going to struggle to get him to do that for a while.”
G.P. Brouder, rider of William Of Wykeham trained by Mark Michael McNiff, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount made a respiratory noise on the approach to the final hurdle.
(GC & EM)
