Sean Flanagan celebrates his 500th Irish winner© Photo Healy Racing
Dual point-to-point winner Now So Jake (7/2 fav) had been third over course and distance on hurdling debut and showed the benefit of that experience when landing the three-mile maiden hurdle under Sean Flanagan.
Always prominent, the homebred son of Mahler had them all in trouble from early in the straight and was untroubled in defeating Beaufort Scale by four lengths.
Trainer Harry Kelly said: “He’s a lovely horse and we had the dam as well who was very good to us.
“I like this horse a lot and he’s still big and weak and backward. There is a fair bit to come from him we think.
“When he sees a fence he’ll be a different horse again. He’s immature.
“I’m delighted for John Palmer who owns him.
"There wasn’t much of a gallop the last day and it turned into a sprint. We freshened him up and Sean was excellent on him.”
It was a milestone success for the winning rider for whom this was a 500th career winner in Ireland.
A delighted Flanagan said: “If you put the groundwork in with the right people they will repay you. You have to keep grafting away and don’t get too far ahead of yourself.
“I started off with Liz Doyle and rode my first big winner for her on Penny Bill in the big handicap hurdle at Leopardstown.
“My association with Road To Respect was fantastic. I won three Grade Ones on him, two Champion Chases in Down Royal and the Savills in Leopardstown. He was a flagship horse and carried me where I needed to go.
“To ride my 500th winner for Harry Kelly is great. I won on the dam of this horse before for the same owners.
“Hopefully there are a few more winners to come!”
Quotes from Alan Magee
