Granlahan eases to Fairyhouse success The Ado McGuinness-trained Granlahan (10/11) was the winner of the Protection and Prosperity Financial Services Supporting Louth GAA Handicap Hurdle for jockey Darragh O’Keeffe. The four-year-old son of Equiano had finished second on his last three starts and was only denied by the narrowest of margins on his latest start in Killarney, but under a confident O’Keeffe ride, he ran out an easy nine-length winner. Speaking after the race, rider O’Keeffe said: “He did it very well and it was due with him. I was second a few times on him and I think this track really suited him today. “I rode him a couple of times in Downpatrick and from the back of the last, the hill used to take it out of him a little bit. “Good ground today, he jumped really well and a strong pace to aim at was ideal. “Today’s set-up was great, they went a good gallop and I was able to follow. He quickened up really well from the second-last and put it to bed. “He’s after finishing second plenty of times, so I wasn’t for looking behind me; I was going to keep going. “I knew there was a bit of speed in the race and I was hoping that Dan (King) might bring me a little bit further. He travelled into it well. “It’s great for his owners and fair play to Ado for letting me back on him. I couldn’t ride him the last day and I was delighted to get back on him today. “He’s a great jumper and loves a bit of nice ground, so whether that will be it for him, I don’t know — maybe they’ll go again. As long as the ground doesn’t go on him, why not, as he’s taking his racing well. “He’ll be a nice horse to look forward to again next summer.” (Quotes from (John O'Riordan)
