Runners take a flight in the three miles maiden hurdle© Photo Healy Racing
The John Supple trained Roadtoabbeyfeale landed a gamble as he took the Charleville Cheese Maiden Hurdle over three miles with Eddie O’Connell in the saddle.
The 7yo son of Milan opened at 8/1 with Paddy Powers this morning before opening on track at 7/1. He was backed from 7/1 on-course all the way into 10/3 at the off.
He raced in mid-division for much of the contest before making good headway to track the leaders from the third last.
He led into the straight and he soon asserted before staying on well to score by a comfortable four and a half lengths.
Roadtoabbeyfeale was having his seventh start in maiden hurdle company this afternoon and he certainly wasn't winning out of turn after being placed on three occasions, most recently just going down by a neck to Uponthe Hoof at Bellewstown last month.
Third reserve Kilnafrehanstar ran a cracker to take second under Paul Townend for John Kiely at 33/1 while the 2/1 favourite Minella For Value finished a further three lengths back in third under Davy Russell for John Nallen.
Winning trainer John Supple, who trains in the nearby town of Abbeyfeale in Co Limerick, said afterwards: "That's a relief! He has been a bit unlucky once or twice.
"You can see that he is a real three mile chaser in the making.
"With the testing ground I didn’t really know how he would handle it but I’ve learned that I have a winter horse on my hands. He will probably go for a three mile novice now and it won’t be long before he’ll go chasing."
(On-course reporting by Alan Magee)
