Stormy Belle and Ben Coen lead them home in race three at Listowel© Photo Healy Racing
The Galway Hurdle winning silks of Mount Loftus Stud County Kilkenny owner Pat Byrne got a successful airing at Listowel in the Brandon Hotel Handicap courtesy of the Pat Fahy-trained Stormy Belle
Fahy, on the mark here in the bumper last evening with Drop The Anchor, employed star apprentice Ben Coen for the spin on this 5/1 shot (from 6s).
Byrne's Quinze won the Galway Hurdle in tremendous style under a big burden with Richard Dunwoody up in 1999, and whilst it was much closer for Stormy Belle she got home by a head.
The three-year-old Band Of Outlaws ran a cracker with his near top-weight impost, but he couldn't quite get to the winner.
Quinze also won the Lartigue here in 1997 and after this win for Stormy Belle Fahy said: "We were undecided where to go and said we might give her a shot at a black type race for breeding purposes but a winner here means more to the owner than anything.
"We might have a go again on Friday. She was very fresh coming into this — she was bouncing.
"Hopefully we can get him (Ben Coen) again and claim the 7lb. He has a good head on him and obviously he has a talent."
The winner is in foal to Elzaam.
(AM & EM)
