Harty Delighted With Dark Horse

Sabrina Harty is planning a return trip to Leopardstown before tackling the JCB Triumph Hurdle with her recent Durkan New Homes Juvenile hero Won In The Dark.

The youngster proved too smart for 12 rivals in the Grade One heat on St Stephen's Day, having previously found only Franchoek too good at Cheltenham.

Harty said: 'He's absolutely fantastic ? he's screaming and bucking in his stable as usual.

'I think a lot of people didn't believe his form beforehand, thinking it was a bit of a fluke, but that was his best yet and I think he's getting much stronger.

'He did it so easily at Leopardstown and there were some nice horses behind. He had them fairly well spreadeagled before the last so we were delighted with him.

'The form looks really solid now, including collaterally. He tends to keep a bit for himself, which is good, because he's quite lazy and laid-back.'

Harty confirmed the Triumph is likely to be on Won In The Dark's agenda, and feels her charge learned an awful lot when eight lengths behind ante-post favourite Franchoek in November.

'We'll have to give him his chance there now and he travelled across well when he ran there before,' she continued.

'He seemed to handle the track well in November, when he was running quite close to his previous race. He travelled well and handled the atmosphere and he's come on from that.

'I think the trip across really made a man out of him and he was much sharper at Leopardstown, where he jumped like an old handicapper and didn't waste any time in the air.

'We'll probably give him one run beforehand in February and we'll probably go back to Leopardstown with him.'

Won In The Dark is available at a best-priced 25-1 for the Triumph with Totesport and William Hill.

(C) PA Sport