His Excellency (white face) sees it out best from Banna Man (far right) & Mahrajaan (black & white) in third© Photo Healy Racing
Davy Russell made the best possible start to the Killarney Festival as he completed an opening race double aboard the 3/1 favourite His Excellency in the Aer Lingus Handicap Chase.
Trained by Gordon Elliott, the 4yo son of King’s Best is now two from two over fences having won his beginners chase over the course and distance in May.
The Grade 2 winning juvenile hurdler since ran in a hurdle at Down Royal last month where he finished third behind Whatuthink.
Despite having a tendency to swish his tail during races, the white faced gelding showed plenty of determination on run-in to fend off the challenge of the 12yo Banna Man (20/1) with just a neck separating the pair at the line.
The Robbie Burns trained Mahrajaan made a bad mistake at the second last and that put pay to his chance and he eventually finished a further length and a half back in third under Barry Geraghty.
Winning rider Davy Russell said afterwards: "He was so clever going around that he was lying into the bends and he caused my saddle to slip a little bit but I was able to get it back.
"He is such an accurate jumper and he’ll get you into a race. To be fair to him he was a head down there but he battled back."
The winner is of course owned by Michael O'Leary of Gigginstown House Stud who is also the CEO of Ryanair.
(On-course reporting by Alan Magee)
