Consharon Boy pictured on his way to victory under David Splaine© Photo Healy Racing
Consharon Boy completed a hat-trick of wins as he took the opener at Killarney, the La Na gClub Maiden Hurdle.
Successful on his fifth point-to-point start at Templenacarriga in January, the son of Zagreb followed-up in a point-to-point bumper at Gowran in March.
He had subsequent track winners Hurricane Ben and Dont Kick Nor Bite behind him at Gowran, and he was sent off at 2/1 today (available at 7's last night) on his debut over flights.
Close-up early on, he improved to lead after the second. He was briefly headed four out, but soon got back on terms, and regained the lead on the turn into the straight.
He was ridden after three out, and was challenged at the next, keeping on well on the run-in to score by three and a quarter lengths under David Splaine. Buckeye Shan (16/1), in a first time hood, ran well to finish second under Sean Flanagan (lost his whip after two out) for Vincent Halley, while newcomer Davids Charm (16/1) was a further fourteen lengths back in third under Ambrose McCurtin for John Joe Walsh. Improver was sent off the 15/8 favourite, and while he looked a big danger from three out, he faded tamely after the next, and finished fourth under Denis O'Regan for Tony Martin.
Terence O'Brien said afterwards: "His form was solid enough and went to the Sales (at Goffs in April) but wasn't sold when the lads weren't looking for huge money for him. They were brave enough to hold on to him and he did it nicely today.
"He can jump a fence too but we'll tip away over hurdles for a while. Once the ground is ok, he'll go for a novice hurdle and hopefully the handicapper won't be too hard on him now."
The field for this sixteen runner race was depleted to just eleven with fancied runners Pakman (temperature), Mai Fitz Jack (temperature) and There You Go (stone bruise) all taken out, along with Aint Dunne Yet (going) and Kelly Home (coughing ).
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
