Surin and Luke Dempsey© Photo Healy Racing
Last season's Grade 1-placed Surin gained a first Graded win at Naas today, landing the Grade 3 Fishery Lane Hurdle to complete an opening races double for Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud.
The Gordon Elliott trained filly finished third to ill-fated Sir Erec in a top level novice hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival last February and today, under jockey Luke Dempsey, comfortably beat Gardens Of Babylon by seven and a half lengths to follow up a win at Wexford last month.
O'Leary's Joseph O'Brien trained Embittered won the opener at the Co. Kildare venue and following Surin's success, trainer Elliott stated “Luke gave her a good positive ride. We knew she would stay well, she had a run and she was fit. She’s a good mare and has improved from last year and grown a lot. It was a good performance.
“She’s a different mare than last year. She is stronger and needed her first couple of runs.
“I’m not sure where we will go now but she will be aimed at those mares’ hurdle races. She’ll have a few easy weeks now and then we’ll see what happens.
“Coeur Sublime (also a 4yo) would be a pacier horse than her and Surin could go three miles. The way she runs behind the bridle I’d say any trip would be no bother to her.”
Paddy Power and BetfairSportsbook make Surin a 25/1 chance for the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham next March.
Quotes from Alan Magee
