Suain Na Draoicht and Philip Byrnes © Photo Healy Racing
Suain Na Draoicht pulled out plenty in the closing stages to open his account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle at Sligo.
The Charles Byrnes-trained gelding tracked front-runner Rolly Bowley Boy in the three-mile-one contest before hitting the front after the third last flight. Hardwired looked a danger to the 5/4 favourite after the penultimate flight but he couldn't peg back the Mahler gelding on the run-in as he galloped on well under Philip Byrnes to score by two-and-three-quarter lengths.
The winner had been fourth over timber at Punchestown on his most recent outing and been runner-up in two bumpers.
Byrnes senior said: "He's a big weak horse so we wanted to give him a bit of time before stepping him up to three miles.
"He loved the trip. It was a weak enough race, so it was a good opportunity for him and he'll probably go handicapping now."
(Quotes by Mark Nunan)
