To Choose (Adrian Heskin) beating Dave's Stamper© Photo Healy Racing
To Choose opened his account over hurdles when justifying strong support in the Support The Injured Jockeys Fund Maiden Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
The six-year-old gelding added to a previous win on the flat at Roscommon when swooping late under Adrian Heskin to land some nice bets. Dave's Stamper looked set to score when leading two out and went a couple of lengths up on the run-in.
However the Tom Gibney-trained To Choose, available at 4/1 in the morning and backed from 11/4 into 9/4 favourite on track, had other ideas.
Heskin got a great tune out of his mount to lead close home for a three quarters of a length verdict, with Space Ship a further three and a quarter lengths back in third.
Gibney said, "I'm delighted and I don't think anyone could begrudge him that. He made hard work of it.
"Adrian said he thought he was going to win easy but he made it hard for himself. I'm just happy he got the result.
"He might stick to hurdles for the minute but will definitely go back on the Flat at some stage. He could go to Punchestown if there is something suitable."
(GC & AM)
