A nice shot of Msassa and Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
At odds of 1/4 Msassa got the job done on Irish debut in the Pinnacle, Tomcoole, Waters & Kelly's Farmhouse Bakery Maiden Hurdle at Wexford.
Fourth at Compiegne over a year ago, Msassa was here starting out for the Laurina connections of Sullivan Bloodstock Limited and Willie Mullins.
The son of Sholokhov was never too far away in the hands of Paul Townend, and he tackled front-runner Park Paddocks from before the last.
In the end two and three parts of a length split them whilst Freedom Chimes (33/1) ran a fine race beginning for the Mag Mullins team, five lengths back in third.
Said Townend on the strongly-backed scorer: "It's testing out there, and I'd say you wouldn't want to be going any quicker than that on it.
"He done it well in the end, he probably wants further.
"I thought at the top of the hill that I might be in a bit of bother, but the further I was going the better I was going. He done it well in the end and he jumped well, he had a run in France."
(DM & EM)
