Ebazan and Denis Hogan come home in front at Ballinrobe© Photo Healy Racing
The conditions of the Purcell Construction Maiden Hurdle (confined to riders who have not ridden more than 10 winners between 1st July, 2012 and 22nd June, 2013) were pretty restrictive but there were still some good jockeys in the field with Denis Hogan coming out best on the Barry Connell-owned and Conor O'Dwyer-trained Ebazan
A former Curragh maiden winner in his time with John Oxx, the victorious American-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid headed Love On Top before the last and he then held off the well-backed market-leader, Dawerann by half a length.
Hogan explained: "Fair play to Barry (Connell) and Danny Mullins (his retained rider) for thinking of me. The horse got me out of trouble. He was well covered-up and I had to switch around a few in the back but he put in a good jump at the second last to get him back into it.
"He was very gutsy. He came through a bunch and he got knocked about a little bit but he done it well."
Meanwhile O'Dwyer commented: "I had a few anxious moments. He was getting stopped a bit here and there. He's not a fast jumper of hurdles but he makes a nice shape over them.
"We were probably too forceful with him at Kilbeggan (3rd behind Sizing Sahara). For a horse rated 93 on the flat he'd want to be doing that and he should be a nice horse for the summer."
Of note elsewhere here was the gamble on Baby Grey (9/2 into 11/4). The John Monroe runner didn't get a trouble free passage but he ultimately disappointed in seventh place. (TW & EM)
