Grand Soir and Simon Torrens win at Kilbeggan © Photo Healy Racing
Grand Soir made up for a slightly disappointing debut effort over flights when putting things right in the Moyvalley Meats Maiden Hurdle at Kilbeggan.
A former point-to-point winner, the six-year-old had showed promise in two bumper runs but was expected to leave those efforts well behind when stepped up in trip on his hurdling debut at Cork last month.
For whatever reason, he found little from three out and weakened to finish a well beaten seventh. There was certainly no repeat on this occasion, as the Simon Torrens ridden gelding took up the running after two out and galloped right away from his rivals.
McConnell was completing an across the card double following the earlier win of Rexam at Killarney.
“I said to Simon in the ring if he had natural progression from his first start over hurdles he could run well here,” said McConnell.
“He's very laid back at home, we paid an awful lot of money for him and he really didn't show much at home when he got him even though he's a beautiful horse.
“We've been lucky with a lot of them but he was a real big one for us as Derek puts a lot of money into it. I couldn't even tell him he was flying up the gallops.
“He's probably a three-mile plus chaser in the making. If he hadn't done something today we were going to have to go back to the drawing board.
“He was good there, he obviously likes nice ground and there is plenty more to come I'd say.
“He never travelled. In fairness we have Thomas Reilly at home in the yard, he's ridden a few winners for me, and I put him on him about a month ago.
“He's after getting him to travel a lot better than he has before at home. I have to put that win down to him as he's been a different horse in the last couple of weeks.
“You still want to see it on the track and it's brilliant that he's translated that.
“Whether we go chasing this season or potter around in novice hurdles for the year, I don't know.
“I don't think he's a winter horse, he handled that ground really well. I'd say we could give him a break in October and bring him back February or March time.”
