St Lawrence Gap clears the last under Brian O'Connell© Photo Healy Racing
St Lawrence Gap won the Richard Power Private Client Betting Handicap Hurdle for the second year in-a-row.
The Eoin Doyle trained five-year-old was successful on the level at Leopardstown and Limerick earlier in the summer, and was a respectable ninth on his last start at Galway.
Returning to flights this evening for the first time since October, he was sent off the 5/2 favourite this evening under Brian O'Connell for the South East Racing Club.
Settled behind the leaders he took closer order after three out, and led before the next, keeping on well under pressure from there to score by two and a half lengths.
The Ellmarie Holden trained My Direction (14s this morning and from 6s to 5s on-course) finished second under Barry Browne, while The Last Marju (12/1) was six and a half lengths back in third for Jonathan Burke and Denis Cullen.
Doyle, who was on the mark at Gowran yesterday with Fiesole, said afterwards: "He is a good tough horse.
"Brian said if anything he got there too soon, when the other lad came to him he went on again, he had a good bit left.
"He has been running well on the Flat and I thought he ran a great race in the GPT. He was only beaten six lengths there and got murdered down the hill.
"He was probably well-in, and I'd say he will go for a handicap hurdle now at Listowel. He is an improving horse and is a lot stronger and moving a lot better this year. There is plenty of options with him.
"He is entered in the Flat on Saturday night and he might turn out again. He wasn't over exerted there. We will have a look at him in the morning and we'll see how he is.
"The horses are flying. We have a select few horses now and they seem to be better horses."
