By The Banks dominates in Wexford

By The Banks was a comprehensive victor of the two and a half mile handicap hurdle in Wexford with Jody McGarvey doing the steering.

The eight-year-old son of Alderbrook made all and had the pursuing pack off the bridle with half a mile to race. He was four lengths up at the two furlong pole and stretched his lead when jumping the second last.

McGarvey could afford a look over his shoulder once his mount had skipped over the last and the pair scored by four and three quarter lengths at 12/1. Encore Une Annee at 25/1 took second while Kilcross Boy (4/1) completed the placings in this 14-runner handicap.

Jody McGarvey said: "That wasn't the plan at all [to make all]. I just wanted to get a good start. I wanted to be in the first four or five but round these places it is key to be bang there jumping the first and I landed in front and nothing came to take me on so I wasn't going to give away ground I had already made up.

"He jumped super and he travelled away and he loved himself. He loved it out in front. I didn't go fast, that's why I couldn't believe I got my own way out in front. I was surprised nothing took me on so it worked out well.

"In fairness to Denis (Cullen) he's straightforward to ride for. He more or less left it up to myself.

"I think the track is an improvement on the way it was. I think the hurdles are positioned a bit better. You are meeting them on rising ground and the horses seemed to jump them better today."

Denis Cullen added: "He has been frustrating. He won a point-to-point and I'm surprised he hasn't done better on the track before now. Obviously the ground and the conditions suited him today and Jody gave him a great ride.

"We had a winner on Friday night [at Dundalk with Baby Dinnis] as well so hopefully the horses have turned a corner and we will bang in a few winners."

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy