Fassbender gets off the mark

Fassbender gained a deserved first career win at Downpatrick today, as the Mark McNiff trained five year old landed the Randox Health Handicap Hurdle under jockey Mike O'Connor.

The son of Famous Name had finished second on three of his five starts since May and today, on his 19th run, reversed form with last month's course conqueror Willyouwalkwithme beating that rival by two and a half lengths.

It was promising 5lbs claimer O'Connor's first ride on the five year old and afterwards reported "he was better off at the weights with Willyouwalkwithme and seemed to do it fairly well. He enjoyed that ground and while I don't know much about the horse, he seems a nice horse going forward on that ground."

Quotes from Michael Graham