Sunchart (right) © Photo Healy Racing
A Listed winner on the Flat at Naas in March, Sunchart (11/10 fav) got off the mark over jumps at the fourth time of asking in the Think Print & Design Maiden Hurdle.
For Cian Quirke, it was a winner on his first ride back after missing three months due to a broken wrist sustained in a fall at Limerick.
The Teofilo gelding, owned by Pat Garvey, tracked the leaders before taking over on the run to two out and was ridden out to beat Moonlight Jazz by a length and three-quarters.
Willie Slattery, brother of winning trainer Andy, said: "I thought he would win every day he ran over hurdles. Even that win today is still disappointing for him. There is a group race at Naas on the Flat and that's the plan for him now. He needs soft ground on the level.
"We are just running him rather than having him doing nothing at home. There is no big plans for him over hurdles. I'm not saying he won't run again over hurdles before Naas but there is no big plan. He is obviously not as good over hurdles. When we started him over hurdles we were thinking bigger than this. When he got beaten at Thurles we gave up on hurdles for a while.
"He runs terrible at the Curragh, he is bet before he comes out of the stalls. The handicapper is surely not going to mark him high because he isn't running to a high mark. Unless he improves there is no big future for him over hurdles."
Quotes from Donal Murphy
