Raydamann easy winner after eventful 4-y-o contest Only six went to post in the four-year-old maiden hurdle at Clonmel but it proved a very eventful contest, with Raydamann eventually emerging on top. The field was soon reduced to four as No Knee Never refused to race and Harpy Eagle unshipped his rider at the first. Autumn Twist took them along but was awkward at the fourth and Dan King lost an iron, soon kicking out the other one. He performed heroics to stay in the saddle but had to settle for second when Raydamann went on after the second last. The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding cruised home from the last, under Sam Ewing, to post an easy four-and-a-quarter length win over his fellow even-money joint-favourite. Ewing said:- “He’s had a few nice runs, and I suppose he was entitled to do that. It was messy enough early, but he’s done it well. “I made the running on him the first day in Navan and he got a bit keen so I wanted to keep him covered up for as long as I could. “He’s a good jumper and just made one little mistake which was probably more my fault than his. He appreciated that good ground today and hopefully can keep improving.” (Quotes by Alan Magee)
