Direct Approach pays dividends for Kennedy Prominent throughout under Jack Kennedy, the Gordon Elliott-trained Direct Approach kept on strongly to get off the mark over flights in the opening Tote Always SP Or Better At Galway Maiden Hurdle. Chasing leader Baila Conmigo for much of the contest, Kennedy came through to take over jumping the second-last flight. Pushed along to assert on the run to the last, the Kieron Gammell-owned 3/1 chance stayed on well to beat market leader Young Rebel by two-and-a-half lengths. Gordon Elliott said: "Kieron is a big supporter of Cullentra, is with us a long time and he has just told me that this is his sixth horse with us, and all have won. He is always there to buy one and I'm delighted for him. "We might have had luck on our side as we got first run on the runner-up, but he had the experience and fitness, so we left him stride on. "He is Flat-bred, but he's a gorgeous-looking horse and that's why we bought him, although he wasn't easy to train in the early days." (Quotes by Thomas Weekes)
