Handay success for Cobden in McManus colours Harry Cobden struck in the JP McManus colours at Fairyhouse this afternoon when Fierce Handay ran out a cosy winner of the Fairyhouse Steel Handicap Hurdle. The Noel Meade-trained gelding travelled strongly to lead turning for home in the two-mile-five contest and asserted before the final flight. The 11/2 joint-favourite galloped on strongly in the closing stages to post a five-and-a-half length success over stablemate Blue Mosque. “It makes life a lot easier to live when the horses are running well,” said Meade. “A lot of time we go home from the races scratching our heads and depressed. We wouldn’t be depressed the way they are running at the moment. “The drier ground made a big difference to him, he seemed to get very bogged down in Naas the last time and also the time before that. “He seemed to travel well the whole way there. I’d say he’ll make a nice chaser, he’s a lovely big horse.” On the runner-up Blue Mosque he added:- “She ran a cracker. I’m sorry for them that she had to get beat but you have to run the horses for the owners.”
