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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

French Aseel cruises home on hurdles debut

Sun 27th Dec 2020, 12:40

French Aseel and Denis O'Regan (right) clear the last before easily winning the 3-y-o maiden hurdleFrench Aseel and Denis O'Regan (right) clear the last before easily winning the 3-y-o maiden hurdle
© Photo Healy Racing

The 7/2 favourite (from 11/2) French Aseel trained by Ellemarie Holden, was a very impressive winner of the opening Paddy Power 3-y-o Maiden Hurdle.

Denis O’Regan’s mount was always close to the pace and took the lead before the final flight (usual second-last) before cruising clear up the straight to win by 22 lengths in very taking fashion. Coltor (6/1) came through for second with Ilmig (9/2) in third place.

The winner, making his debut over flights, acquired plenty of racing experience on the Flat in France, where he won once in nine starts.

He’s a son of French Fifteen who chased home Camelot in the 2012 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

The sponsors introduced French Aseel at 25/1 for the Triumph Hurdle before quickly revising that to 10/1 (also 10/1 with Betfair).

Winning owner, and father of the successful trainer, Paul Holden said: “We bought him in Arqana (for 62,000 Euros) in July. He won over a mile in France.

“We were just waiting to get him right for a juvenile hurdle. We knew he had ability and he also handled soft ground in France.

“He showed plenty of class there and we’ll probably look at a Graded race next.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
7/2Fav
Tote €3.80 €1.60
2nd
22L
6/1
€2.00
3rd
6L
9/2
€2.10
4th
3.5L
5/1
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.