Runners stream over a hurdle in the early stages with eventual winner Boss's Star second from the left© Photo Healy Racing
After recording a double at Sligo yesterday Alan Crowe was again on the mark at Down Royal this afternoon as he took the opening Tommy Leckey Memorial Maiden Hurdle aboard the Peter Casey trained Boss's Star
The four-year-old son of Barathea ran well on his two previous starts over hurdles finishing second to Fisher at Gowran in October and third to Call Me Bubbles at Navan in March.
Having opening at 12/1 with Paddy Powers this morning he was backed on track from 9/1 into 7/1 at the off.
The 5/4 favourite (backed from 7/4 on-course) Cailin Annamh hit the front after the second last and she attempted to assert from there under Robbie Power but Boss’s Star chased her down on the run-in and went on to score by a length and a half. King Of The Refs was a further three lengths back in third under Bryan Cooper for Tony Martin at 12/1.
Francis Casey, son of winning trainer Peter, said afterwards; "I was sure we'd have a winner yesterday with Monelissio (finished second at Sligo).
"This horse loves that ground and he’ll be better in a quicker race. He could be a horse for the Galway Hurdle.
"He doesn’t take a lot of racing so he’ll go for a four-year-old winners of one next maybe at Bellewstown. I was delighted when I saw the ground and he was a bit of price."
The winner is out of Palace Star, who won the McDonogh Handicap in 2004 for Casey.
