Hunting Brook (left)© Photo Healy Racing
Friday's winner Hunting Brook (7/4f) doubled his score for new connections at Punchestown today, landing the concluding Ladbrokes 'Halftime Quiz' Handicap Hurdle for trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Danny Gilligan.
Bought for £20,000 last May having failed to win in six starts in the UK, the gelding now carries the colours of Finola Murphy, Ann Marie McManus and Tahnee Grant and was one of six Elliott-trained winners at the northern venue on Friday.
Today the six-year-old was tasked with carrying a 7lb mandatory penalty but, with some neat planning, full-professional Jack Kennedy was replaced by Danny Gilligan, whose 5lb offset much of the burden.
Hunting Brook scored by a length and three-parts from American Money with Gilligan saying “he’d a nice win in the north and just looking back on that race he got left in front a bit soon due to fallers at the third-last.
“I had that in the back of my mind today, not to get to the front too soon. It wasn’t the strongest of races but he’s done it well.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
