Nicky Larson lands the odds under Flanagan There was a gap of over 26 lengths between Nicky Larson and Nod Of Approval at Ballinrobe earlier in the month, but things were much tighter in Down Royal's Coca-Cola HBC Ireland 3-Y-O Hurdle over two miles and a furlong. The former, owned by the EFP Partnership and sent off 8/13 favourite to defy a 6lb penalty for his win at the Co Mayo track, led until joined two out by Nod Of Approval and just pulled out enough under jockey/pilot Sean Flanagan to edge ahead on the run-in for a half-length victory.  Winning trainer Paul Nolan said: "He (Flanagan) landed on the golf course out there and I'd say there was a couple of fellas playing golf that didn't know what was happening when they saw Flanagan coming in around the corner! He's tearing straight back to ride for Barry (Connell, Farrokh) in Wexford. "I probably would (have been disappointed if he hadn't won) - in fairness to him, he toughed it out. JP and Jessica's horse (Nod Of Approval) didn't maybe jump as well in Ballinrobe, and he was a nice bit better there today, and I thought coming to the second-last and the last, that we were beaten. In fairness, he knuckled down well. "It probably didn't suit him to be making the running, but there was nothing much else Sean could do. He jumped relatively okay and toughed it out. "He's rated 65 on the Flat, so we might revert back to that before the ground changes too much. He's probably ground-dependent, but it is great to get two hurdle wins as a three-year-old. That's what he was bought to go and do." Additional reporting by Michael Graham
