Mange Tout delights connections with Grade 3 victory Mange Tout settled well in the Grade 3 juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse and proved too strong for another French import, Narciso Has. She got off the mark on Irish debut in a 3yo hurdle in Down Royal at the start of the month where she ran freely off the front without the hood that she wore in France. It was a different story today with the hood applied as she was able to race behind pace-setting I'll Be Handy and Narciso Has. She had one blip three out, but was soon back on the bridle for Jack Kennedy. Narciso Has led narrowly over two out as Mange Tout closed having been switched out by Kennedy. I'll Be Handy soon gave best as the front two settled down for a scrap, clear of the remainder. Mange Tout was narrowly ahead in jumping the last and she negotiated it better than Narciso Has. She got away from it well and sailed in by two and three-quarter lengths at 11/8 from the 5/4 favourite. Gordon Elliott said: “She did everything wrong the last day so we said we’d drop her in, get her settled today, and see how we go. It was a good performance and I’m absolutely delighted. “I said to Jack that she didn’t jump great but he said when he pulled her out and gave her a bit of room, she was very good over the last two. That’s what you want. She settled better today. “She put lengths between them very quick from the last to the line. I’d imagine she’ll go to Leopardstown now. “We’ll dream for another while. I’m sure there are a lot of good ones still to come out. “I haven’t too many of them (juvenile hurdlers), she’s as good as we have at the moment. “What she was doing at home before she ran in Down Royal was what I saw there. I didn’t see it in Down Royal, but she was very keen and did everything wrong there. “She looked good today and I was very happy.” Mange Tout halved in price for the Triumph Hurdle with Paddy Power (16/1 - 8/1). Additional reporting by Gary Carson
