Faanan Aldaar takes them along at Roscommon© Photo Healy Racing
Punters got their fingers burnt again on Courage as the 2/5 favourite went down by a head to Faanan Aldaar in Roscommon’s two mile maiden hurdle.
This reversal made it four seconds in a row for the four-year-old trained by Charles Byrnes.
He headed Faanan Aldaar at the last, but was already deviating off a straight course as Davy Russell asked for more. This allowed the filly and Paul Townend to fight back on the inside to win by a head at 4/1.
There was a stewards enquiry as the first two came close during their battle for line, but the result stood.
Delighted winning trainer Philip Rothwell said: “Davy came on top of us as much as the other way around so hopefully she keeps it.
“The plan was to jump out and go a good gallop and use her experience. That’s why we had Paul up.
“Andrew Ring has been riding her and doing well on her. If she goes back to a handicap he’ll ride her again, but with making the running myself and the owners thought Paul had plenty of experience.
“The race in Listowel was a mess [fifth on June 3]. Everywhere she went she got into trouble. The winner got a bit of a freebie in front and all the fancied horse ran badly.
“She came out of that well so we decided to take our chance here.”
Courage traded as short as 1/50 on the betting exchanges before getting beaten. Shek O Lad took third place money, nine and a half lengths away at 33/1.
Philip Rothwell’s last winner at Roscommon was 46 runners ago.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
