Extensio © Photo Healy Racing
The pride and joy of the O'Donnell family, Extensio (9/2) completed a hat-trick of wins and made it two from two over flights when landing the Racing TV Handicap Hurdle.
Successful on his last two Flat starts including a valuable handicap at the Ebor meeting at York in August, the seven-year-old had won a maiden hurdle at Roscommon last summer. Here, under Brian Hayes, he led two out and went away to beat The Niffler by a length-and-three-quarters.
The 3/1 favourite Vischio refused to race.
Pat O'Donnell, who trains the son of Xtension for his wife Una, said: “He was the smallest horse in the race with the biggest weight and Brian gave him a lovely, patient ride.
“Darragh O’Keeffe schooled him for me on the Curragh last week but unfortunately with Rachael out, he couldn’t ride him. I was delighted to get a more than able substitute.
“He’s going on his holidays in the morning, and it will be nice to mix it with him next year. The Galway Hurdle maybe — it’s nice to dream about these things.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
