Donnie Devito and Tom Harney.© Photo Healy Racing
Conditional jockey and assistant trainer Tom Harney was seen at his best when getting the Ross O'Sullivan trained Donnie Devito up close home to win the Ladbrokes Daily Odds Boost Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown.
Twice placed in bumpers, the lightly raced five-year-old had failed to trouble the judge on his most recent starts but returned to something like his best here under a positive ride.
Never far from the lead, the Sholokhov gelding appeared to be fighting a losing battle after two out, as odds on favourite My Great Mate stretched a couple of lengths clear under Kieran Callaghan.
However, the latter had yet to put the seal on the race approaching the final flight, as Harney continued to give chase. Closing right up on the approach to that obstacle, Donnie Devito landed with the momentum, bridging the gap before eventually edging ahead for a narrow half-length win.
Ross O’Sullivan said: “He’s a horse that had winter bumper form.
“Willies was all the rage and I thought turning in good run going to be second. The tongue tie definitely helped with him, and he worked very well during the week.
“Tom rode him good and positive, and he wore down the horse in front. He’s probably a staying type of horse, and three winners have come out of the Kilbeggan race he ran in the last day.
“He’ll keep going now for the summer and Tommy (Ward, owner) will want a runner in Galway so he might go there.
“The ground was lovely and safe today.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
