Highwind pitches at the last but gets back into stride© Photo Healy Racing
With Paul Townend sitting out a suspension, Sean O'Keeffe came in for a winning ride on Irish debutant Highwind in the opening four-year-old maiden hurdle over an extended two miles at Punchestown.
Favourite backers who took the 6/4 certainly got a major fright at the last as Highwind who had raced to the front and moved clear before this obstacle looked home 'for all money', but met it all wrong and pecked upon landing which stalled all momentum. Pigeon House (8/1) got a scent of victory as he closed on the run-in, but O'Keeffe swiftly got Highwind back into stride and his mount forged on well in the closing stages to win going away by two and three-quarter lengths. Lark In The Mornin (3/1) finished third, beaten four and a-half lengths by the winner.
O’Keeffe said: “It wasn’t without a scare, but he has a nice engine and a bit of class. He did it nicely at the finish.
“He knuckled at the back of the second last and the same at the last. He went and won his race before doing that at the last but, once they came to him, he picked up well again.
“He’s a laid-back horse and stays well. He’s a horse with a nice future and there will be plenty of improvement in him.”
Highwind won on the Flat in his native France in February.
Paddy Power shortened Highwind from 25/1 to 16/1 for the Triumph Hurdle.
Each race on this Punchestown card will be run over a trip 40 yards shorter than advertised.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
