Court Compliance lays down the law in Punchestown Bill Durkan's Court Compliance (11/10f) got into a lovely rhythm, jumping and travelling, off the front in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown. A trip of an extended two-and-a-half miles proved more than apt for the six-year-old gelding today. Boedic and Newbrook Diamond pursued him in second and third respectively after the penultimate flight, but both horses soon came off the bridle (latter less than fluent there). Philip Byrnes looked to have plenty of horse under him and so it proved as Court Compliance opened up before the last. To his credit, Newbrook Diamond (7/2) stuck at in second in the closing stages, but the bird had flown as Court Compliance sailed in by four and a-half lengths. Assistant trainer Gary Bannon said:- “It’s about time! He’s been bumping into nice types and it has been a bit frustrating. “Champagne Kid has gone on and won and Andy (Slattery’s) horse (Timesareachanging) ran well in a graded race the other day. “We decided to make a bit more use of him today. “We might have a crack at the novice handicap in Fairyhouse with him and then put him away for the rest of the year. “He’s got today out of the way, which is a monkey off my back. “He was bought as a potential chaser, you only have to look at him. “Bill always wanted to have a runner in the Irish National. Screaming Colours was fourth for us one year and he got great craic out of it. “He wanted to buy a horse that could do something along those lines and hopefully he will.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson
