Christmas plan for Eagle Fang Connections of Eagle Fang (7/1) have some big-race plans for the five-year-old after he landed Thurles’ opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase today, scoring under jockey Philip Byrnes. Racing prominently throughout, the five-year-old chasing debutante was strongly pressed by runner-up Kurasso Blue in the home straight but held on well to score by three-parts of a length. Owner/trainer Bill Durkan, whose Anaglog’s Daughter won the 1980 Arkle Chase, was represented by assistant Gary Bannon who reported "last year Eagle Fang was a four-year-old stepping into open company so we knew it would be tough, but he stepped up to the mark. He didn't win a race but ran some good races. "He hadn't done a whole pile of schooling over fences and it has only been in the last few weeks that we decided to try it. He isn't a big horse but has a massive heart and is the best horse we have. He is our Tiger Roll and he could now go for one of the Grade 1 novice chases over Christmas. "He was just about ready to start today so will come forward and Philip (Byrnes) said he learned plenty." He added "three miles won't bother him and I said to Bill (Durkan) yesterday that I'd love to run him in an Irish National.  "Last year he was ridden out in the car park at Cheltenham so didn't get the best trip around, but was beaten only 11 lengths. Maybe if he had been ridden with more cover he could have been placed, but that's just Cheltenham. We haven't had much luck there as it has been like a graveyard to us, but he could be one for the novice handicap chase next March."
