Butler and Winkler tough it out

The Winkler benefitted from a powerful drive by Mikey Butler to get up virtually on the line in the Four Star Langton House Hotel Maiden Hurdle.

Successful in bumpers last year at Killarney and Galway, the grey was well-backed on track here from 7/1 into 5/1.

Butler was hard at work early in the straight as Sizing Granite took it up and looked set to score at the last.

However Eoin Doyle’s charge dug deep under pressure and got up in the final strides to score by a head, with the always prominent Asitsohappens just a half-length back in third.

Doyle said, “He’s a good tough horse and won his bumpers well. Things happened a bit quick for him at Leopardstown and my horses were a bit flat over Christmas. He was caught a bit flat-footed today but got a good strong ride.

“He’ll stay further and we might stick him in a novice over a trip next. He does nothing in a hurry but has been working very well the last ten days. He’ll make a nice chaser down the road.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes