Grand Canyon races away from the last under Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
Dunboyne trainer Amanda Mooney recorded her first win under National Hunt rules, as Grand Canyon took the John Rochford Memorial Handicap Hurdle, completing a quick-double for Paul Townend.
A surprise winner on the level at Leopardstown in April, the son of High Chaparral was returning to flights today for the first time since August of last year.
Having touched 11/2 on-course, the six-year-old victory eventually went off the 4/1 second favourite in the colours of the Anonymous Syndicate.
Settled behind the leaders on the outer, he improved to lead after the second last, and kicked for home from the final flight, keeping on well from there to prevail by two and three parts of a length. She's Made It who was sent off the 11/10 favourite, was caught in a pocket before the last, but couldn't reel-in the winner once in clear, and had to settle for second under Mark Walsh.
There was another seven lengths back to the third, and that was Chosen Flower (14/1), with Barry Geraghty aboard this one for Val O'Brien.
"We didn't go quick. I actually rode him last year and I liked him and I thought there was a day in him," said Townend.
"Amanda got his wind done and it seems to have done the trick."
Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy
