Ballinrobe-winner Fairbanks has plenty of summer options Bill Durkan's Fairbanks made most and saw off Come On The Lads to score in Division 2 of the Sheridan Electric Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe. Come On The Lads looked dangerous as he loomed on the shoulder of Fairbanks jumping the last, but the leader was more than up for the battle. He stayed on well along the run-in for Philip Byrnes and had the pursuer beaten in the closing stages. The 8/15 favourite passed the post with three and a-half lengths in hand over the 7/2 runner-up. Wil Harbut gave his each-way backers a return in third at 12/1, beaten 13 and a-half lengths by the winner. Fairbanks built upon a runner-up berth on debut over flights at Down Royal in early May. He reached a three-figure rating on the Flat in Britain for Andrew Balding and won a £100,000 handicap at Newmarket last July. Assistant trainer Gary Bannon said: “There is always pressure coming when they are that short, we don’t have many that are that short of a price. “The last day he was in front too soon and Paddy (O’Brien) had said ‘don’t make the running with him’ tonight, but there wasn’t much pace on and he’s probably just doing what he had to do. “Maybe that’s why he wears blinkers on the Flat. Philip thinks he’s a very nice horse and he was pricking his ears from four out there, he was only doing what he had to do. “We might look at the Copper Horse Stakes at Ascot with him, with blinkers back on. He was sixth at the meeting last year to Crystal Black (in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes) over a mile-and-a-half. “We haven’t run him on the Flat yet, but we might have to get the top hat and tails on for that! “They went slow today and he landed in front where he didn’t want to be. He said he wasn’t doing a stroke anywhere and had plenty in reserve. “I knew he wasn’t a horse that was going to win handy as he doesn’t do that at home, he’s a very lazy horse. “It’s great for the Durkans here in Mayo, at Bill’s home track. It’s great for them as they put a lot into the game.” When asked if he could be a Galway horse he added: “There is a two-mile novice hurdle in Galway and we might go back and try the mile-and-a-half premier handicap we won last year with Eagle’s Way. He has plenty of options.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson
