18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Draoicht digs deep to open account

Fri 21st Oct 2022, 16:34

Suain Na Draoicht and Philip Byrnes Suain Na Draoicht and Philip Byrnes
© Photo Healy Racing

Suain Na Draoicht pulled out plenty in the closing stages to open his account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle at Sligo.

The Charles Byrnes-trained gelding tracked front-runner Rolly Bowley Boy in the three-mile-one contest before hitting the front after the third last flight. Hardwired looked a danger to the 5/4 favourite after the penultimate flight but he couldn't peg back the Mahler gelding on the run-in as he galloped on well under Philip Byrnes to score by two-and-three-quarter lengths.

The winner had been fourth over timber at Punchestown on his most recent outing and been runner-up in two bumpers.

Byrnes senior said: "He's a big weak horse so we wanted to give him a bit of time before stepping him up to three miles.

"He loved the trip. It was a weak enough race, so it was a good opportunity for him and he'll probably go handicapping now."

(Quotes by Mark Nunan)

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.