Gentleman Duke jumps the last just ahead of Donatis Comet© Photo Healy Racing
After both his runners finished second at Sligo yesterday, Arthur Moore gained a deserved win today, as Gentleman Duke took the opener at the Western venue, the Easyfix Rubber Products Maiden Hurdle.
The JP McManus owned five-year-old son of Bachelor Duke, was sent off the 5/2 favourite on his thirteenth start over hurdles.
He won his maiden on the level here back in September of 2010 and he had run some good races in defeat over timber.
Having raced in second for much of the contest, he improve to dispute the lead before the second last, hitting the front at the last and asserting on the run-in to score by five lengths. Donatis Comet ran a fine race on his hurdling debut, finishing second at 4/1 under David Splaine for Pat Martin, while Montrel (16/1) was eight and a half lengths back in third under Mark Walsh for Eddie Harty.
Arthur Moore said afterwards: "He got there in the end. It might give him confidence now and he could go on from here.
"He has some good handicap hurdle form and the winter ground probably didn’t suit him.
"He ran a blinder in a big handicap at Fairyhouse and he might go to Killarney now or some of the Festivals for a handicap. He will jump a fence in time."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
