The Little Yank and Liam Quinlan © Photo Healy Racing
Five days after his fine third to Good Time Jonny in a valuable handicap at Leopardstown, The Little Yank (11/4) landed the BetVictor Rated Novice Hurdle in the hands of Liam Quinlan.
The 5lb claimer sent his mount up to tackle 4/7 favourite Ash Tree Road on the home turn and The Little Yank jumped past that one at the second-last. The Westerner gelding asserted on the run to the last and passed the post nine lengths ahead of the market leader who wasn’t that fluent on the way around and couldn’t manage a weight concession of 13lb to his rival.
It was the winner’s third success from twenty starts this season.
For winning trainer John Ryan, it was a 36th victory of his best-ever campaign and he remarked: "I told someone before the race that he'd win by eight or ten lengths and he won by nine!
"That horse is flying and Gillian (Ryan, daughter) has transformed him. He was running and running and we couldn't figure him out but in fairness she figured he had ulcers and got on top of it. He won two bumpers when he looked a real little horse and please God he is coming back to that level.
"He'll be a smashing chaser and I wanted to run him in a beginners' chase but Gillian wouldn't let me, as we want him for the summer.
"Since Christmas he is really blooming and has come alive. That's the way to ride him and Liam Quinlan is a gifted rider who doesn't get the credit he deserves. He is a colourful character to say the least but is a good lad and a great jockey."
Quotes from Thomas Weekes
