Cairos gets job done after last flight scare El Cairos survived a scare at the final flight before landing the odds in the ThurlesRaces.ie Maiden Hurdle. The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding had been very unfortunate on his hurdling debut at Leopardstown over Christmas when slipping on landing and falling after the final flight. He went to post a 1/5 shot to get back on track this afternoon and everything was going to plan as he cruised into the lead after the second-last. Jack Kennedy asked his mount for a stride running down to the final flight, but the No Risk At All gelding got things all wrong and was lucky to get to the other side. He soon recovered his composure to coast to a three-length win over Roc Dino. "It is job done and he never came out of second gear. Jack said it was his fault at the last as he said he should have either taken him back or asked him, but I loved the way he came back on the bridle straight away and you'd have to be impressed by that,” said Elliott. "We came here looking for good ground, so I was nervous, but it was either come here or to Navan or Punchestown next week, which was getting too close to Cheltenham. "I don't think he could have done any more and he is very fast. Jack said the boot he has is unbelievable. “He'll learn plenty from today, and even racing in a big field will do him no harm. He'll go straight to Cheltenham and he'll be way better on better ground." Paddy Power eased the winner out to 11/2 (from 9/2) for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Old Park Star is 2/1 favourite (from 9/4). (Quotes by Tom Weekes)
