Golden Plan (nearest) disputing the lead© Photo Healy Racing
Golden Plan ran out a cheeky winner of the Matty Ryan Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Thurles under a confident ride from Shane Butler.
The Mark Fahey-trained gelding was to the fore throughout in the two-and-a-half mile contest and eased on from Seamus Mor going to the final flight.
The Goldmark gelding produced a fine leap at the last and Butler could afford to look around on the run-in as the 4/1 shot needed minimal assistance to hold the late charge of 15/8 favourite Horendus Hulabaloo by three-parts-of-a-length.
The winner had been well beaten on his last outing at Navan after a decent comeback effort at Cork in November.
"He won his point-to-point, bumper and maiden hurdle all in that heavy ground and is a very genuine horse," said Fahey.
"I've nothing in mind for him next but he would see a fence fairly quick."
Butler told Attheraces: "I wasn't really meant to be that handy but there was no pace on. I jumped out, he travelled and jumped with me so I had no choice but to stay where I was.
"I always knew there was plenty of horse underneath me and it was just a matter of not panicking with him.
"It's very testing and it's getting gluey as it's after opening up a bit. It takes a lot of getting but thankfully this fella loves it."
(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)
