Mephisto doubles up for Keane and Fitzgerald in nightcap Having belatedly recorded a first win over jumps when successful at Wexford on Friday, the Ger Keane trained Mephisto followed up under Shane Fitzgerald in the concluding J.J. Burke Peugeot Handicap Hurdle at Ballinrobe. A 17-race maiden over hurdles prior to last week, the eight-year-old grey appears to have finally discovered the secret to success. Although he had scored three-times on the Flat, jumping just hadn't appeared to suit the son of Kendargent up until very recently. Dropped out towards rear in the early stages, Fitzgerald moved through to track the leaders after two out. Soon moving third, the veteran went second on the approach to the final flight. A less than fluent leap did little to halt momentum, as Mephisto came through to head Sydney Cruiser entering the straight before going away to win by five-and-a-half lengths. Ger Keane said: "He had been disappointing since we got him but has turned the corner now. He had been jumping really well at home but wasn't taking it to the track and had falls which affected his confidence. "He has back to himself now and while we wouldn't normally run them back so quick, he came home well from Wexford so we took our chance. "We were running him over two miles over hurdles all along and we didn't think he needed further, but it looks like we were running him over the wrong trip. He is handicapped over fences so has plenty options now." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
