Take All leads Snugsborough Hall and Sit Down Lucy on the approach to the last© Photo Healy Racing
Take All made every post a winning one, as he made virtually all in the feature at a well-attended Wexford, the Molloy Metals Wexford GAA Raceday Handicap Chase.
Previously trained by Seamus Fahey and last successful back in October of 2021, the Golden Lariat eight-year-old made his debut for John 'Shark' Hanlon at Leopardstown in February.
Sent off a 17/2 chance this evening, he was soon in front under Jody McGarvey and was strongly pressed on the approaching to two out.
Ridden away from the last, he battled on gamely to fend off the effort of Snugsborough Hall (9/1) and Brian Hayes by half-a-length.
There was a length-and-three-parts back to Sit Down Lucy (11/2) in third, with the first three going 20-lengths clear of the fourth.
Returned the 3/1 favourite, Birchdale could only manage a disappointing sixth.
"I was talking to his owner (James Cleary) a month ago about sending the horse home. I told him that the ground would eventually come back on the soft side of good and he agreed to leave him with me," Hanlon revealed.
"He was nearly going to take him home and you'd never know what would have happened had he done that.
"James bred the horse and it means an awful lot to him, he has the family at home. I haven't seen a man to enjoy a race as much as he did for a long, long time.
"He done a bit of work the other morning and I rang James last night and told him it was the best bit of work that he has done since I got him.
"He was unlucky in Limerick one day when he barely got beaten. I was hoping coming here that the ground wouldn't dry up too much and it didn't, it's lovely safe ground. He will probably go for a break now.
"I said to Jody that if you are able to get an easy lead in front, take it. I told him if you jump the first he will be spot on, as he can be a little bit hesitant going to a fence, but he wasn't today and that was the winning and losing of it. Jody gave him a great ride and gave him a breather down the back.
"The horses are all running well at the moment. We had two winners last week and Paddy got off the mark at Worcester which was brilliant."
