High Honour and John Shinnick (far) jump the last with Verbal Sparring © Photo Healy Racing
High Honour held the late charge of Mephisto to strike at 18/1 in the Aidan Moffitt Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Sligo.
The Donal Kinsella-trained gelding was making his second start in handicap company over timber having finished mid-division on his most recent outing at Roscommon last month.
John Shinnick produced the Frankel gelding to challenge turning for home and he jumped to the front over the final flight.
He soon asserted but then had to hold on at the line as Mephisto flew home to get within a neck.
Shinnick said: "He ran well at Roscommon and actually gave me a feel that day, he just got stuck in behind a lot of traffic.
"Here he travelled for me all the way, just coming over the second-last he went to lug in, but when I pulled him out he got rolling for me. I just kept the bit high in his mouth going down to the last and he was good and gamey for me.
"The first day I rode him over hurdles in Down Royal he was very green, but he's come on tonnes and pounds since and is after getting it together.
"Donal gave me my first winner at Navan when I was an apprentice on the Flat with Ger Lyons, so I'm delighted to get another one for him.
"That's my second winner since losing my 7lb claim and hopefully I'll keep the ball rolling towards the winter."
(Quotes by Mark Nunan)
