The Last Indian and Simon Torrens© Photo Healy Racing
Division two of the Follow Us On Facebook Handicap Hurdle saw fourteen in contention, but in truth there was only going to be one winner from a fair way out as Simon Torrens registered a second career success on The Last Indian (13/8 favourite) at Tipperary.
Aidan Howard trains The Last Indian, three times a winner on the level, and she looked to have outstanding claims here on her Sligo second placing to subsequent scorer Lord Erskine.
So it proved in the two miler, The Last Indian coming through from the back, slight mistakes at the last two doing little to impede her momentum as she eventually convincingly prevailed by five lengths from Rathnaleen Girl
"I'm delighted to get that and am also delighted for Simon as he is with me full-time and is very dedicated," said Howard.
"She came up against a better handicapped horse at Sligo and came on from the run and hurdled quicker today. Simon said he got there a little soon but it worked out well in the end.
"She is in on Monday at Ballinrobe and we'll take her home and see how she is."
He added: "Pat Smullen always said she'd be competitive in a good handicap and she will run in a good Flat handicap before the end of the season. She has won on heavy ground in the past but doesn't like extremes and doesn't actually handle quick ground."
In an interesting aside, Torrens earned high praise from the then editor of the Racing Post Irish edition, Jonathan Mullin, before he ever rode a winner.
That was for his efforts on a horse called The Shepherd King at Down Royal in October 2015 and is easily accessible with a google search.
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Accordion Twilight trained by W.J.Lanigan, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
R. Loughran, rider of Accordion Twilight, trained by W.J.Lanigan, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount ran keen early on, met with trouble around the final bend and was unable to deliver a challenge.
(TW & EM)
