Amir Kabir (left) © Photo Healy Racing
Amir Kabir (6/4 fav) turned around Galway form with Flaming Moon to land the Seamus Mulvaney Bookmaker Novice Hurdle.
The Mukhadram gelding was waited with by Davy Russell before coming through to lead before the second last. A bad mistake there gave favourite backers an anxious moment but he was soon back on an even keel and stayed on well to beat his Galway conqueror by three lengths.
Winning trainer Gordon Elliott said: “We fancied him as I thought he would have won in Galway if he had jumped.
“We've done a good bit of work with him since Galway on his jumping and if he'd jumped the second last I'd say he wouldn't have come off the bridle.
“It was a nice performance, he's a horse that could mix it on the Flat as well. Maybe not this year but next year.
“He's a nice big horse. We'll keep him going, I'd say he'll go with a bit of ease in the ground as well. I was actually worried about the ground here as he ran on quick ground in Leopardstown and didn't let himself down.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
