Lake Winnipesaukee and Keith Donoghue deliver in the opener© Photo Healy Racing
Gavin Cromwell's Lake Winnipesaukee made a successful transition to flights in the Railway Bar Maiden Hurdle over an extended two mile three furlongs in Roscommon.
The six-year-old Arcadio gelding had been placed in three of his seven bumpers and, switched to hurdling, showed an aptitude for jumping.
The 7/1 shot (from 12s) closed in a threatening third just off the leader Givago and Ringdufferin at the penultimate hurdle and hit the front between the final two flights.
A good jump at the last saw him land running and Keith Donoghue pushed him clear to win by a comfortable five and a-half lengths from the 2/1 favourite Givago. Getaway Charlie stayed on another length and a-quarter away in third at 10/3.
Donoghue said: “He was very quick and he's obviously done plenty of schooling with Paddy and Jack (Kennedy) before he came to us.
“He had been schooling away even when he was running in bumpers, so he wasn't going to lack anything jumping.
“Bumpers in Ireland are very hard to win when you have Willie (Mullins) and Gordon (Elliott). He was knocking on the door and bumpers didn't really suit his style.
“He can be a little bit keen, but the jumping helped him and he switched off well. Two and a-half miles suited him.
“We went a nice gallop, even away, and we were quickening well down the back and across the side. I was always happy following Paul (Townend on Givago) through.
“Going to the second-last he came on to the bridle even better than I thought he would and he kept galloping well to line.
“If he had to go back (in trip) he could, if the race suited him. I don't think he needs to go much further than that.”
Lake Winnipesaukee is the biggest lake in the US state of New Hampshire.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
