Fintown Boy and Brian Hayes© Photo Healy Racing
Third at Clonmel last Thursday Fintown Boy (4s into 3/1 joint favourite) stepped up a couple of places in the Your Clubs Fundraiser At Fairyhouse, Enquire Today Handicap Hurdle, the finale at the County Meath venue.
Brian Hayes rode for fellow Cork man, Mick Winters, and Fintown Boy came out on top by three and three parts of a length from Rathnaleen Girl
The winner's fellow market-leader, Jennys Grey finished three and a half lengths back in third.
The gambled-on Flowery on his debut for Michael Hourigan, tracked the leaders, and was close enough in fourth when jumping left and hanging to the outer three out.
Then under Sean Flanagan, the well-related sort ran wide on the bend entering the straight and soon ran out through the rail.
"He did it solid. He had a great run the last day," said Winters on Fintown Boy.
"He's a big gobby old horse, he's an eight-year-old and our horses were wrong last year and we didn't run him.
"The owners were thinking of throwing the towel in again for this year but I said 'he's in great form'.
"He ran well in Downpatrick and that form has worked out well. He came off the bit a long way out then and I was a bit disappointed with him.
"He had a good run the last day and I said we'd surely left something for today.
"He's an eight-year-old, they bred him and they have a full-brother.
"He'll run again next Monday in Thurles. He'll be good fun next summer over fences."
S.W. Flanagan, rider of Flowery, trained by Michael Hourigan, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount jumped left at the third last hurdle, cocked his jaw and ran off the track at the final bend.
(GC & EM)
