Gusty Rocky (Roger Loughran) is clear at the last© Photo Healy Racing
< Gusty Rocky belied odds of 12-1 as he ran out an impressive winner of the Coral.ie Jack Duggan Memorial Handicap Hurdle, the feature event at Gowran Park on Saturday.
Pulled up on his last two hurdle starts, Pat Flynn's seven-year-old showed a bit more sparkle on the Flat at the Curragh last month and clearly relished a first crack at three miles back under NH rules.< Rise Of An Empire set the pace for a long way before the winner took it up after the penultimate hurdle and the 12-1 chance pulled away in fine style to score by eight lengths from Steamboat Bill who kept on well for second.< Tagg's Island showed an excellent attitude to thwart the challenge of Shemay in the Coral.ie Hurdle.
The winner led them into the straight and was asked serious questions by the Stuart Crawford's charge on the run in, but answered them well to prevail by three-quarters of a length at 7-1.< Zafarqand (7-4) got off the mark in good style in the Coral.ie Maiden Hurdle.
Davy Russell's mount took it up just before they turned for home and always looked in control as he stretched three-and-a-quarter lengths clear of Day Day < Coolfighter (6-1) followed up his victory at Wexford on Wednesday with an authoritative success in the Coral.ie Handicap Hurdle, coming home three lengths ahead of Buonarotti Boy
Denali was well backed for the Coral.ie Mares Maiden Hurdle and didn't let her supporters down as the 2-1 favourite reeled in the trailblazing Legal Proceedings on the run in to win going away by six lengths.< El Vasco built on a promising seasonal reappearance as he came out on top in a thrilling finish to the Coral.ie (C & G) Maiden Hurdle.
On the back of that good effort at Punchestown, Conor O'Dwyer's charge jumped the last level with Fellow Indian and they did battle all the way to the line, with the 3-1 joint-favourite getting up by just a short head.< Static Jack (7-1) took the closing Coral.ie Joe Bollard Memorial Flat Race by eight and a half lengths from Naturally Blond