The Road To Fame negotiates the last© Photo Healy Racing
The Road To Fame held on from fast-finishing Friends N Commerce to justify 5/4 favouritism in the first divide of the opening maiden hurdle over two miles three furlongs at Limerick.
Morning-price gamble Sizing Mauritius led under sufferance from flagfall as none of the runners appeared to want to dictate.
He was tracked throughout by The Road To Fame and Donagh Meyler who closed at the second last with Friends N Commerce also becoming a player in third.
Sizing Mauritius gave best before the last as The Road To Fame hit the front. He was three lengths clear of Friends N Commerce (5/1) jumping it, however, the latter stayed on well to get to within a neck at the line. Sizing Mauritius (7/1) dropped five and a half lengths away in third.
Trainer Eoin Doyle said: "He was workmanlike and all he does is stay and he wants further. He also wants it softer and just about got away with it.
"He is a tough little horse, jumps well and if the ground came up softish at Punchestown, he might go for the Connolly's Red Mills Series Final.
"It is great to have a first winner for Eddie Walsh, who was a good friend of my father and they were in business together years ago."
The Road To Fame came home third on hurdling debut at Gowran Park in January and the form of that race had been franked.
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
