Friary Road strikes on hurdling debut The opening Bet XS Maiden Hurdle at Navan looked a competitive affair and it went the way of the Shane O'Callaghan-ridden Friary Road (10/1). A dual bumper winner last year, the five-year-old had disappointed on Flat handicap debut at Leopardstown last month but it was a different story on this first start over flights. Trained by Ted Walsh for his wife Helen, the winner made steady headway from off the pace to join fellow hurdling debutant Touch The Moon at the last and got the better of a good tussle with that rival to score by a short head with a gap of 10 lengths back to Powerful in third.  Ted Walsh said: "A good performance, jumped adequately and he stays well. He's tough and won a couple of bumpers well.  "I thought I was going to get beaten and he got back up.  "He has a future over flights and he has a future on the Flat as well too. I probably will (mix and match).  "I left the tongue-tie off him the last day by mistake and he probably just needs it a bit - he plays with his tongue a bit and puts it out over the bit and that.  "He's a good, tough horse." Additional reporting by Michael Graham
