Causey Arch overcomes lay-off on hurdle debut

Causey Arch got his jumping career off to a winning start in the Holy Thursday Maiden Hurdle although the whole complexion of the opener at Clonmel changed after an incident which resulted in the two market leaders both being taken out of the race at halfway.

The odds-on favourite Dorydalis made the running until falling at the fifth flight, and Davy Russell's mount brought It's Only A Number to a standstill with Mark Walsh having little option but to pull him up.

Causey Arch, very easy to back at 9/2, was the chief beneficiary and overcame a mistake at the last before drawing clear under Paul Townend on the run-in. Internal Transfer was three and a quarter lengths away in second, with Robin Can Do a further six and a half lengths away in third.

Causey Arch won twice on the Flat for Michael Dods in 2016, and was snapped up by Willie Mullins for 37,000 guineas later that year but was making a belated first start here for the champion trainer.

Townend said, "When Davy went and stopped Walshey the race lost a lot of its value but he'll improve a lot jumping-wise for that.

"He was very green over the last two and that's why I was trying to hang on to him to get a lead. That's why I set out following them. He'll probably appreciate looser ground and not as dead as that but he has won now.

"He had a couple of little niggly problems but we eventually got him on the track and everything seems fine now and hopefully he can build on it."

(TW & AM)