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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Brouder boys at the double at Wexford

Fri 5th Aug 2022, 19:24

Avec Espoir Avec Espoir
© Photo Healy Racing

Outsider of the party at 33/1, Avec Espoir jumped really well for Gavin Brouder to win the Opportunity Handicap Chase.

The nine-year-old, whose only previous success came at Tipperary just over a year ago, was left in front when a couple of horses departed at the third. He shrugged off a couple of challengers when kicking on before the second-last and had enough of a lead built up to hold the last one to attack, Malina Girl by a length and a quarter.

The winning rider’s brother, Gearoid, had won the opening contest on Bold Approach

The 5/2 favourite Direct Image who was bidding for a six-timer, began to struggle at halfway and was soon pulled up.

Winning trainer Val O'Brien said: said: "He likes going left-handed so that's why we come here a good bit. It's hard enough to get races at this grade at left-handed tracks. He won at Tipperary before too. We tried going right-handed but it just hasn't paid off, so we will try to stick to the left-handed tracks.

"He has a low mark over hurdles and we had a choice to go for a hurdle or a chase today but we went with the chase. He might go back over hurdles at some stage."

Quotes from Donal Murphy

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.